Daria Kasatkina's sexuality or relationship with girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako can't be covered by Russian journalists due to anti-LGBT laws: Reports

Covering Daria Kasatkina's sexuality and relationship with figure skater Natalia Zabiiako is discouraged in Russia, if reports are to be believed.

Daria Kasatkina, ranked 15th in the WTA rankings, came out as a lesbian in June 2022. She revealed later that she had entered a relationship with figure skater Natalia Zabiiako around the same time.

Kasatkina and her girlfriend have only gotten closer since then. Zabiiako has been spotted in the 26-year-old's players' box at tournaments regularly despite the constant disapproval that the LGBT community faces in Russia.

Against that background, a prominent Russian journalist (identity hidden) recently spoke to an Italian tabloid about Daria Kasatkina's reception in her home country. According to him, the Supreme Court's ruling last November that the LGBT movement is an “extremist organization" has led to the couple being shunned by the media back home.

“On the 30th of November, Russia’s Supreme Court ruled that the 'international LGBT movement' is an 'extremist organization', jeopardizing all forms of LGBT rights activism," the journalist told UBI Tennis. "That’s why due to the new terrible law, now it’s risky for journalists to write anything about Kasatkina’s sexuality or relationship with Natalia Zabiiako in Russian media.”

According to the new laws, promoting the LGBT community is a criminal offense with a prison sentence of up to 12 years. The above development will not put Daria Kasatkina in danger as she resides in Spain, but it certainly means that she will receive much less coverage from news outlets in Russia.

“I’m working for a big Russian Sports website and we can only talk about her in the context of tennis. And, unfortunately, as a journalist, I don’t feel freedom of speech. My colleagues also say that definitions of the new law are vague and indistinct, and enable the government to use them against anyone it dislikes," he said.

Daria Kasatkina looking for redemption in 2024 after relatively quiet results last year

Daria Kasatkina celebrates after winning a match at the 2023 WTA Elite Trophy

Daria Kasatkina, meanwhile, enjoyed a respectable season in 2023, compiling a 41-26 win/loss record on the women's tour. The highlights of her season included finishing as the runner-up at two 500-level events in Adelaide and Eastbourne, and reaching the last four at November's WTA Elite Trophy.

Having said that, Kasatkina struggled to have a good showing at the Grand Slam tournaments last year. She recorded second-week appearances at Roland Garros and the US Open, but succumbed to first-round and third-round defeats at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, respectively.

Although the 26-year-old didn't have much of an impact at the big tournaments, she did record a considerable amount of match wins across the entire season. She will be looking to go deeper at the Major tournaments in 2024.

The Russian has already started her season on a good note, with a quarterfinal run at the Brisbane International last week. She will be looking to go past the third round of the Melbourne Slam for the first time in her career in the coming fortnight.