Latest news with #NataliaZabiiako
ABC News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Australia's Daria Kasatkina beaten by Britain's Sonay Kartal in Queen's Club first round
Daria Kasatkina has suffered her worst defeat since switching to represent Australia in late March, beaten 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 by fast-rising Brit Sonay Kartal at the revived Queen's Club women's tournament. Kasatkina was fresh off a promising run to the last 16 at Roland Garros last week and her weekend engagement to long-term partner Natalia Zabiiako, a former Olympic skater. Women's singles, first round But her joy was soured, temporarily at least, as Kartal delighted the home crowd in the first women's tournament at Queen's in more than 50 years. In the last final, in 1973, Evonne Goolagong (now Cawley) lost to Russia's Olga Morozova, who would go on to lose that year's Wimbledon final a few weeks later. That was the fourth successive final featuring an Australian, Margaret Court having won in 1970 and 1971 and Karen Krantzcke losing to Chris Evert in 1972. Any hopes that Kasatkina would maintain the Aussie run 52 years on soon disappeared against Kartal, who has climbed from 271st in the world to 50th in a year. This was the 23-year-old's best win of her career, world number 16 Kasatkina becoming her second top-20 victim after beating Beatriz Haddad Maia at Indian Wells. Kasatkina briefly hinted at battling back when she rallied from 0-40 at 2-4 in the final set to force deuce, but on the newly christened Andy Murray Arena, Kartal held for 5-2 then served out at 5-3, her winning forehand leaving Kasatkina flat-footed. The result left two Australians in the draw, Ajla Tomljanovic and Maddison Inglis. Inglis drew number six seed Karolína Muchová and was last on court on Monday evening. She lost the first set on a tiebeak 7-6 (7/5) but battled back to take the second set 6-3. At that point, with darkness falling, play was suspended. The winner will meet German qualifier Tatjana Maria, who beat former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (7/4), 6-2. On Tuesday Tomljanovic plays Alex de Minaur's fiancee Katie Boulter, who earlier teamed up with Emma Raducanu in a doubles pairing that had the British media swooning as they won their first-round match. Do you have a story idea about women in sport? Email us abcsport5050@ In the day's opening match Haddad Maia came from a set down to beat former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova, 35, returned from a 17-month maternity break in February but has only won one match since. Last year's Wimbledon semi-finalist and Olympic runner-up Donna Vekic lost 6-3, 6-3 to Anastasia Zakharova, who set up a clash against American Madison Keys. AAP
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aussie tennis star Daria Kasatkina announces engagement to partner Natalia Zabiiako after whirlwind three months
Aussie tennis star Daria Kasatkina has capped off an exciting few months by getting engaged to her long-term partner, former Olympic skater Natalia Zabiiako. The world No.17 switched her sporting allegiance to Australia earlier this year after being granted permanent residency following her claims that it was unsafe to return to Russia, due to both her sexuality and her opposition to the war. The couple shared the delightful news on social media, marking an incredible year for the 28-year-old. Kasatkina posted a photo of a dazzling diamond ring on Zabiiako's finger alongside the caption: 'And just like that.' Many of the couple's tennis star friends took to the comment section to offer their well-wishes. 'Ahh congrats,' posted Katie Boulter. 'I will be at the wedding regardless if you want it or not,' joked Arina Rodionova. 'Congrats Dasha and Natalia!!!' posted Jennifer Brady. Kasatkina bowed out at Roland Garros on Monday, beaten by the 18-year-old phenom and her fellow Russian-born friend Mirra Andreeva 6-3 7-5 after what the victorious teenager rightly called a 'hell of a match' in the fourth round at Roland Garros. Their 94-minute duel on Court Suzanne Lenglen ended with Kasatkina chucking her wristband jokingly at her conqueror at the net, while Andreeva informed the crowd tongue-in-cheek that she only practised with the Aussie because she hated her. Just months since being granted permanent residency, Kasatkina's hopes of becoming the first Australian woman to reach the quarter-finals since Ash Barty's triumphant year of 2019 may have fallen short, but the 28-year-old, who enjoyed being the 'last Aussie standing', smiled: 'It's been a good start. 'First of all it's been a good result but also, I felt super good to step on the court as an Australian player,' said the 17th seed. 'To feel the support from the stands so many times. I don't know if everyone who was screaming, 'Aussie', were from Australia, but I felt this support. Also, on social media I'm getting a lot of support from the Australians that they are so happy to welcome me, and they're happy for me. 'So this is the kind of support which I honestly didn't have before, it feels like it's something new to me -- but it feels so nice.' When asked if everyone was now allowed to call her 'an Aussie battler' after she had given the sixth seed a real scare with her second-set counter-attack when she even earned a set point, Kasatkina offered a wry smile and replied: 'If you want to...' The 28-year-old rose as high as No.8 in the world and has won eight WTA titles - her best grand slam result coming at the French Open where she reached the semi-finals in 2022. Kasatkina has followed the likes of Daria Saville, Ajla Tomljanovic and Arina Rodionova in making eligibility switches. She is Australia's new women's No.1 and the country's highest-ranked player since Ash Barty retired.
