In Pictures: Daria Kasatkina and girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako's Tokyo adventures ahead of Pan Pacific Open 2023

Daria Kasatkina recently shared some pictures of her exploring Tokyo with her girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako ahead of the 2023 Pan Pacific Open.

The 26-year-old, who has never made it past the second round in Tokyo, is one of the top contenders for the WTA 500 tournament that starts on Monday, September 25.

Kasatkina, ranked No. 13 in the world, is coming off a fourth-round loss to runner-up Aryna Sabalenka at Flushing Meadows. She has been training with Russian player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

But Kasatkina and Zabiiako have also found time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Japanese capital. On Thursday, September 21, Kasatkina posted several pictures on her social media account that show her visiting Owl Cafe and snapping pictures with them on her shoulders, wandering in the streets of Tokyo, posing in front of a giant Pokemon mural, eating sushi, and more.

"Tokyo so far 🍣 #Japan," Kasatkina wrote on Instagram.

In Tokyo, Kasatkina will face tough competition from players like Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Marketa Vondrousova, etc.

Daria Kasatkina has had a mixed 2023 season so far, reaching two finals (Adelaide International 2 and Eastbourne), a semifinal (Charleston), and three quarterfinals (Abu Dhabi, Palermo, Montreal) while also suffering some early losses.

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A look at Daria Kasatkina’s performance in US Open 2023

Daria Kasatkina at the 2023 US Open

Daria Kasatkina had a decent run at the recently concluded US Open, reaching the fourth round for the first time since 2017. She showed her resilience and versatility on the hard courts of New York, defeating some tough opponents along the way.

Kasatkina started her campaign with a comeback win over American Alycia Parks, who pushed her to three sets in the first round. The Russian eventually prevailed 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

In the second round, she faced another American, Sofia Kenin. Kasatkina repeated her feat of winning from a set down, as she overcame Kenin 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a thrilling match that lasted two hours and 25 minutes.

In the third round, she met Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen, who had defeated former World No. 1 Venus Williams in the first round. Kasatkina won 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 28 minutes.

In the fourth round, Kasatkina faced a formidable challenge in the form of second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who had not dropped a set in the tournament until then. Sabalenka proved to be too powerful for Kasatkina, as she dominated the match from start to finish. The Belarusian won 6-1, 6-3 in just 75 minutes to end Kasatkina’s run.