Russia’s number one women’s tennis player Daria Kasatkina has announced that she is gay.
In an interview with Russian YouTube blogger Vitya Kravchenko, the 25-year-old said that “living in the closet” is impossible, adding that she has a girlfriend.
Kasatkina is ranked 12 in the world and reached the French Open semi-final last month.
She said she was inspired to come out after Russian footballer Nadya Karpova revealed that she is gay.
“Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, f*** everyone else,” she added.
“I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it.
“It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support.”
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Shortly after the interview was released, Kasatkina posted a picture on Instagram with Olympic silver medalist Natalia Zabiiako with a heart emoji and called the Russian-Estonian figure skater “my cutie pie” in a Twitter post.
Zabiiako won silver with Russia during the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea and she posted the same picture on Instagram.
In 2013, Russia banned the discussion and “promotion of non-traditional sexual relations” to minors and has restricted LGBT+ advocacy or protest in public.
The Russian parliament is seeking to broaden the legislation to cover the promotion of LGBT+ relationships in a positive or neutral light and on showing content in cinemas.
Kasatkina lives and trains in Spain, where the interview was filmed and she also called for an end to fighting in Ukraine.
“For the war to end,” Kasatkina said when asked what she wants most in life, and she described the conflict as a “complete nightmare.”
Criticism of the war or the Russian military can be punished with fines or prison time in Russia.
Kasatkina is shown in the video crying when asked if she fears she may not be able to return to Russia after her comments in the interview.
