“One of the most liked players on tour”: Sam Stosur welcomes Kasatkina to Team Australia

Former world No. 4 Samantha Stosur has weighed in on Daria Kasatkina’s recent nationality switch and what it could mean for Australian tennis. The 27-year-old announced earlier this week that she had changed her residence to Australia and would now compete under the country's flag.

Kasatkina, currently ranked World No. 12, played her first tournament under her new flag at the WTA 500 Charleston Open. While the decision was somewhat unexpected, it was met with widespread support from the tennis community and fans alike.

She instantly became the new Aussie No. 1 and the only player from the country currently ranked inside the WTA top 60. She will also become eligible to represent Australia in the Billie Jean King Cup, where she could team up with Kimberly Birrell (No. 62), Ajla Tomljanovic (No. 87), and rising stars Maya Joint (No. 81) and Olivia Gadecki (No. 98).

Former US Open champion Sam Stosur recently spoke on the Australian podcast The Tennis, highlighting Kasatkina’s value to the nation’s tennis landscape:

“Daria Kasatkina is definitely one of the most liked players on tour. She’s always been very friendly, I always had great dealings with her myself when I was still playing,” said Stosur. “She’s a great person, asset, player — however you want to put it — to now come here and really set a new benchmark for our players to strive to.”

Former doubles World No. 1 and 16-time Grand Slam champion Todd Woodbridge added that Kasatkina could have a major impact on the next generation of Australian talent:

“It’s going to be great for our Aussie women to have someone of that level in the team, once she’s eligible to play the Billie Jean King Cup,” he said. “She’ll be based in Melbourne now when she’s not on tour. During the Australian summer, that’s something our players can really take advantage of.”

He also clarified that while Kasatkina is currently approved to represent Australia on tour by the WTA, she still needs to finalize some legal steps: “She’s only a permanent resident at the moment. The WTA has approved her to play under the Aussie flag, which is great, but there are still things that need to happen — she’ll need citizenship and a passport to officially play in the Billie Jean King Cup.”

Australia is one of the most decorated nations in Billie Jean King Cup history, with 7 titles and 12 runner-up finishes, although they haven’t lifted the trophy since 1974, despite making 10 finals since — including the latest in 2022.

Since the retirement of Ash Barty in 2022, the Australian team has lacked a high-profile star on the level of Kasatkina. While Joint (18) and Gadecki (22) are already adjusting to tour life, there are several other young names drawing attention, including Talia Gibson (20), Taylah Preston (19), and Emerson Jones (16).