"Puts her in harm's way" - Daria Kasatkina's Abu Dhabi flag controversy sparks staunch reaction from Andy Murray's ex-coach

Daria Kasatkina is a Russian tennis player, but for a brief moment, some people thought that she might have switched federations to Spain. Kasatkina has been in and out of the WTA Top 10 a few times, but generally, she's regarded among the best players on the tour.

Besides being a fantastic tennis player, Kasatkina is also very outspoken, which has earned her some negative reactions back home in Russia. Some of those, like her stance against the war in Ukraine, made her rather unwelcome, with some even branding her as a 'foreign agent.'

Kasatkina has since spoken about not having returned home in a couple of years and being unsure if she would ever go back to Russia, which made this flag incident believable for some. She has never stopped representing Russia internationally, but some players from Russia have switched allegiances in the past.

Some of them did it early in their careers, such as Alexander Bublik and Elena Rybakina, but others have done it in the middle of their careers, such as Alexander Shevchenko. That, coupled with Kasatkina's complicated situation in relation to her home country, made many fans believe that she might have switched allegiances to Spain when her name showed up next to the Spanish flag during the draw for the upcoming Abu Dhabi event.

The former coach of Andy Murray, Mark Petchey, commented about it on X.

"Just for the record. Daria Kasatkina is not becoming or become Spanish. It was simply an [organizer's] error. One that potentially puts her in harms way based on the brave stances she has made. Let’s put this to bed fast."

Petchey was clearly a bit worried about what sort of implications his error could have, as he's rather familiar with Kasatkina's profile in her home country of Russia.

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Daria Kasatkina through the Russian lens

Several people in Russia have commented on Daria Kasatkina following a few revelations about her. When she first publicized that she was part of the LGBTQ+ community, some politicians heavily criticized her due to the country's rather draconian laws against individuals from that marginalized group. She has spoken out against the treatment of people like her in the country, which further created vitriol towards her.

"We're getting a lot of feedback from Russia, from people who are struggling right now and who are in this terrible position and cannot do anything about it," Daria Kasatkina told ESPN in March 2024, adding she was expecting a "lot of disagreement" and even "consequences" in Russia for her comments.

After she expressed sentiment against the war in Ukraine, she was once again heavily criticized by those in the country. She hasn't played for Russia in the Billie Jean King Cup since then, even though she was part of the team in the past and is still one of the best players from the country.

She also hasn't returned to Russia, which is a rather clear signal that she's unsure of what might happen. This incident will certainly create more backlash, though for now, Kasatkina is still tied to the Russian federation and hasn't shown an inclination for switching.