Daria Kasatkina wants to “pay back” Australia after admitting she held back tears and dealt with severe nerves during an agonising three-set loss at the Brisbane International.
The former world number eight, who switched allegiance from Russia to Australia in March, showed grit and baseline power but was let down by her serve in a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 loss to Anastasia Potapova on Sunday.
Kasatkina, 28, was playing her first match in Australia since changing her nationality after opposing the war in Ukraine and coming out as gay.
ABC Sport will have live coverage of the Australian Open from January 18.
On and off-court stress prompted the world number 37 to pull the pin on her 2025 season in early October.
Her Brisbane return coincidentally came against a woman who switched allegiance from Russia to Austria last month.
Kasatkina found rhythm on serve to force a third set and rallied from 5-2 down in the decider, before another conceded service game sealed her fate.
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“Stepping on court and I heard the cheer — I almost started crying but I was able to hold it,” Kasatkina said.
“I wanted to win so much and feel this extra energy.
“I’ve been through a tough year. Now I’m fine, but I have to get out of that deep hole.”
Sixteen double faults, many at crucial moments, represented a “nightmare” Kasatkina is constantly working on.
Playing her 11th Australian summer, Kasatkina admitted she would carry a different weight of expectation at next week’s Adelaide International and the Australian Open.
“Nobody’s putting this pressure on me, only I do because I want to represent Australia and when it’s not happening, I feel bad,” she said.
“I want to pay back to the country.
“I’m getting to know the Australian mentality: the people here, they support because they want to, they don’t expect you to go and win slams.
“It’s just the way I am.”
Tomljanović advances
Kasatkina’s loss came after Ajla Tomljanović beat France’s Elsa Jacquemot 6-1, 6-3.
The Australian former world number 32, who boasts three grand slam quarterfinal appearances, has been hampered by physical and mental health challenges in recent years.
Ajla Tomljanović safely moved through to the second round. (AAP: Zain Mohammed)
“I really struggled to just enjoy what I’ve been doing for this long, and I really had to dig deep to just find it again,” the 80th-ranked Tomljanović said.
“In the middle of the season I made a bit of a switch in my head and just looked at everything in a way that I’m just grateful to still be here.
“Certain things started to click.”
Tomljanović will play 11th seed Karolína Muchová in the second round.
AAP