A year ago, as Wimbledon began, Daria Kasatkina was nowhere to be seen. Banned from the championships due to her Russian nationality, she spent that time at her training base in Barcelona, already preparing for the tournaments that would follow.
During that time, Kasatkina participated in a YouTube documentary and what was presented as a glimpse into the banning of Russian tennis players, but instead took on even greater meaning: she came out as gay and clearly stated her opposition to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Twelve months on from a significant moment in her life, Kasatkina’s Wimbledon return took her to its most prominent stage as she opened up the third day on Centre Court against Jodie Burrage, ranked No 108. Kasatkina, the 11th seed, showed no mercy, using her guile and consistency to dismantle the British wildcard 6-0, 6-2 to reach the third round.
Afterwards, Kasatkina stressed her gratitude towards the British crowd after receiving a warm ovation: “I’m really thankful for the warm welcome in Centre Court in UK, in general. Really enjoying being here and happy to be back,” she said.
Over the past 18 months Burrage has taken significant strides. Her emotional first-round victory against the No 67 Caty McNally, her first Wimbledon win, has positioned her for a likely top-100 debut.
But competing on Centre Court is a completely different proposition. Burrage’s nerves were immediately clear as she shanked forehands, struggled to land basic rally balls and she double-faulted twice in her opening service game.
“You dream to be out on Centre Court,” Burrage said. “When I found out yesterday, it’s so exciting. In the same breath, you’ve got to deal with those nerves as well. I wish I could have settled a little bit earlier today.”
At her most effective, Burrage is a strong, attack-minded baseliner armed with a sweet backhand. But Kasatkina, in the absence of any massive weapons of her own, has built an intelligent game that neutralises and disrupts bigger players, preying on their lack of consistency and adaptability.
As Burrage became increasingly frustrated, Kasatkina played a great match. She kept Burrage uncomfortable throughout by redirecting her pace and prodding her into difficult positions in the court. She also constantly tested Burrage’s shot tolerance, dragging her into long rallies and resetting points with her excellent defence.
It took eight games for Burrage to win her first of the match, which she celebrated with a smile. It would be one of her few reasons to smile. After a rain delay at 2-2 in the second set, Kasatkina tore through the final four games to complete the win.
“My opponent made me play so many balls. She missed like two or three in the first set. I missed a fair few. She’s probably my worst nightmare to play, as well, someone who just makes balls. It wasn’t an easy matchup for me,” Burrage said.
Over the past year Kasatkina and her partner, the former figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, have become a prominent part of the locker room. They now produce their own YouTube vlog, which provides a genuine insight into life on tour. Kasatkina has since been asked numerous questions about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which she has never hesitated to answer.
“Me personally, I’m just trying to be a good human in this scenario. That’s all I can do. And do my job as playing tennis. That’s it,” she said last week.
After arriving on the tour as a wide-eyed youngster who, by her own admission, could be immature, at 26 Kasatkina seems to gradually be embracing her maturity gained after many years on tour. It was reflected both on Centre Court as she used her experience to advance and in her growing wisdom as she discusses the learnings of her career so far.
“Life in general, it’s a roller-coaster. So you have to accept it and try to play with these rules,” she said. “I had difficult moments this year, on court and outside of the court. Now I think I am a bit more balanced in this way and really happy being on the court, happy being outside of the court, which are, in general, two very important things.”
