In Dublin. I flew there to train before the grass court season because my coach is Irish. It's a great club, called Carrickmines. It's very old, the logo looks like Wimbledon, and everyone plays and trains in white. It was cold, and I couldn't wear pants or leggings because I'd only brought colorful ones. I had to play in a skirt and socks.
This is one of the only clubs that will give me courts. Because I'm Russian, that's a problem in Ireland. Since 2022, all the clubs I've trained at before have been turning me down.
This hasn’t happened before?
"Until 2022, we were very well received. But now the coach called, and they told him I either had to say I was Ukrainian, or they wouldn't let me in."
– So they understand that you are Russian, but they ask you to lie?
"Yes, I have to lie, because there are Ukrainians among the club members. They might be upset, so I have to say I'm Ukrainian. The funny thing is, I really am half Ukrainian. My dad is Ukrainian, we're a mixed family. But I would never do such nonsense. The coach just told them off."
And you didn’t pay anything?
"Yes. The funny thing is, it's like that everywhere abroad. Wherever I go, the courts are free. It's only in Russia that I have to pay if I'm not assigned to a club."
Abroad, even at Mouratoglou's in Nice, everything is so convenient. I'm welcomed in any condition, any rating. And not just me, but other players too. There are as many courts as you want. And there are also sparring sessions, a basket of balls, water, towels. Whatever you want, they'll bring it to you. And there are so many places.
You just need to call the club managers or Patrick in advance. And only in Russia do you have to pay. This is completely absurd.
You said you were offered to play for Kazakhstan, and you agreed. Am I mistaken?
"Yes, I was 19 or 20 years old. I won the 100,000-ruble singles and doubles. I was worth 100. They offered me the offer, and I accepted. Three months later, I crashed at the Kremlin and was out for three years. That was the end of the negotiations."
At that point, everyone told me I'd never play tennis again. Everyone was sure of it. All our coaches—I won't name names—every single one of them thought I'd never play again. Then, bam: in 2014, I qualified for the Kremlin and made it to the quarterfinals. Everyone was like, "Oh, hello." Well, hello.
Why did you agree to move to Kazakhstan?
"Not only did I agree. I would advise everyone to do the same. When you're a young player and they offer you full funding, it's a huge career boost. Unless, of course, you're the child of oligarchs, and you already have everything."
You have to do this for your career. Everyone who transfers gets excellent funding. You don't have to worry about anything. You have all the coaches, all the physio, doctors, sparring, full support. It's stupid to give that up, no?
- Even now?
– I would advise everyone to do this.
I thought that the situation with support from the FTR was better now.
"Now it's completely gone. It never was. No one ever helped me. They didn't help me at all in Russia. They didn't even give me a wild card. At 18, I was one of the top players in the Kremlin Cup qualifiers. I was number one in Russia in my year. CSKA asked me to play the Russian championship at the expense of the tournament. I went and won. At the awards ceremony, they said, 'Your prize is a wild card to the Kremlin Cup qualifier.' 'Did you know I was in the top five in the qualifiers? Why would I need it?' In the end, they gave it to someone else.
No one even thought about giving me a basis. Never in my life have anyone helped me in any way.
If you had moved to Kazakhstan and received support, would you have been expected to give something back in the future?
"I don't think so. Moreover, Kazakhstan even pays you a salary for playing for them."
– You've never had a sponsor. Have you ever received any offers?
"Yes, a lot, but they were all failures. Some asked for a huge percentage, others something else. It was never in my favor."
Did you ask for a percentage of the prize money?
- Yes.
- And in return?
"Some amount or travel expenses to tournaments. But I can travel myself. Why pay interest when, as children, we gave up the Mouratoglou we all dreamed of? Everyone saw me play when I was 17 or 18. I played well. Why would I need their options when I traveled all the way with my parents? Of course, I didn't want to pay any interest."
If someone wants to help properly, like they do abroad and in Europe, then fine. Anything else – no thanks.
– Who made the proposals?
– From people from tennis, companies. From everyone.
- From the oligarchs?
- That happened too.
– Donskoy was sponsored by billionaire Bokarev.
"I didn't get any from him, but I did get some from others. I won't name names. Plus, girls work differently. There were some not-so-great offers, too."
- "Come be my escort, and you'll also play tennis"?
"That happened, yes. Move there, live there, leave everything in Moscow behind. It became clear which way things were headed, and I said, 'Goodbye.' I didn't go into any more detail. Why do I need all these details?"
Did the oligarch personally propose this?
- Yes.
Is he a public figure that everyone knows?
– Yes, and it wasn't just one person. There were many such proposals. A lot.
– But even if you were kept, you could play tennis?
"That's unknown. I don't think so. Moving to, say, Monaco... I'm not sure those people would have given me the opportunity to play. And I found it funny, I thought, 'What nonsense?'"
And these offers came naturally. It wasn't like I came up to them and said, "Oh, I need something." I don't need anything.
Do you communicate with Ukrainian women?
"There are a couple of girls who talk and say hello. And then there are those who don't say hello at all. When I first got into a tournament against them, I had to go up to Tsurenko—and we were talking—and say hello just to get any response."
A counterexample is Katya Kozlova, who now lives in Germany and plays under the name Beindl. She communicates well, no problems. The Kichenkas communicate and say hello.
I understand that they need to save face for the federation. To show that they don't take photos with us, don't train with us, don't shake our hands. In that sense, I understand them. Perhaps, if I were on the other side, I would do the same. On the other hand, as Kostyuk puts it... Or Svitolina once said that we should either not play at all or move our families. But how are you going to do that? We have grandparents, 70-80 year olds. That's nonsense.
You said that the coach received threats because of working with you.
"Yes, there were reports that he supported Putin because he was working with the Russians. At one point, he actually became pro-Ukrainian, ha-ha-ha. He told me, 'Now they'll be accepted into the EU, and that'll be the end of it.' I started studying history and said, 'No, they've been wanting it for a long time, but they're not accepted.' He argued with me."
I remember the beginning of the training session—half an hour of arguing about the situation, when it would end, who was right and who was wrong. By the end, I was already saying, "Listen, I don't know anything and I don't want to know anything. There are things we don't know in detail, so let's not discuss them. Okay?"
When it all started in February 2022, I was in France. I got injured and had to stay in Europe for another three or four months. I couldn't fly home because the flights were canceled, plus they told me I shouldn't go back to Russia; I wouldn't be able to fly back. I had to wander around Europe.
– What do you think about Kasatkina, who changed her citizenship?
"After her interview, it was clear she'd be transitioning. Dasha received far more help than anyone else."
- Federation?
- Yes. And she said that they didn’t help her at all.
- How did they help her?
– Financially, with a wild card. And everything else.
Right now you're in the top 500. To break even, you need to be in the top 130."
"Not 130, much higher. But I earned some money and can afford to play some more."
- So you live on the money you earned earlier?
"Of course. Certainly not the same as now. I don't earn anything. But I can't say I spend much either."
This is one of the only clubs that will give me courts. Because I'm Russian, that's a problem in Ireland. Since 2022, all the clubs I've trained at before have been turning me down.
This hasn’t happened before?
"Until 2022, we were very well received. But now the coach called, and they told him I either had to say I was Ukrainian, or they wouldn't let me in."
– So they understand that you are Russian, but they ask you to lie?
"Yes, I have to lie, because there are Ukrainians among the club members. They might be upset, so I have to say I'm Ukrainian. The funny thing is, I really am half Ukrainian. My dad is Ukrainian, we're a mixed family. But I would never do such nonsense. The coach just told them off."
And you didn’t pay anything?
"Yes. The funny thing is, it's like that everywhere abroad. Wherever I go, the courts are free. It's only in Russia that I have to pay if I'm not assigned to a club."
Abroad, even at Mouratoglou's in Nice, everything is so convenient. I'm welcomed in any condition, any rating. And not just me, but other players too. There are as many courts as you want. And there are also sparring sessions, a basket of balls, water, towels. Whatever you want, they'll bring it to you. And there are so many places.
You just need to call the club managers or Patrick in advance. And only in Russia do you have to pay. This is completely absurd.
You said you were offered to play for Kazakhstan, and you agreed. Am I mistaken?
"Yes, I was 19 or 20 years old. I won the 100,000-ruble singles and doubles. I was worth 100. They offered me the offer, and I accepted. Three months later, I crashed at the Kremlin and was out for three years. That was the end of the negotiations."
At that point, everyone told me I'd never play tennis again. Everyone was sure of it. All our coaches—I won't name names—every single one of them thought I'd never play again. Then, bam: in 2014, I qualified for the Kremlin and made it to the quarterfinals. Everyone was like, "Oh, hello." Well, hello.
Why did you agree to move to Kazakhstan?
"Not only did I agree. I would advise everyone to do the same. When you're a young player and they offer you full funding, it's a huge career boost. Unless, of course, you're the child of oligarchs, and you already have everything."
You have to do this for your career. Everyone who transfers gets excellent funding. You don't have to worry about anything. You have all the coaches, all the physio, doctors, sparring, full support. It's stupid to give that up, no?
- Even now?
– I would advise everyone to do this.
I thought that the situation with support from the FTR was better now.
"Now it's completely gone. It never was. No one ever helped me. They didn't help me at all in Russia. They didn't even give me a wild card. At 18, I was one of the top players in the Kremlin Cup qualifiers. I was number one in Russia in my year. CSKA asked me to play the Russian championship at the expense of the tournament. I went and won. At the awards ceremony, they said, 'Your prize is a wild card to the Kremlin Cup qualifier.' 'Did you know I was in the top five in the qualifiers? Why would I need it?' In the end, they gave it to someone else.
No one even thought about giving me a basis. Never in my life have anyone helped me in any way.
If you had moved to Kazakhstan and received support, would you have been expected to give something back in the future?
"I don't think so. Moreover, Kazakhstan even pays you a salary for playing for them."
– You've never had a sponsor. Have you ever received any offers?
"Yes, a lot, but they were all failures. Some asked for a huge percentage, others something else. It was never in my favor."
Did you ask for a percentage of the prize money?
- Yes.
- And in return?
"Some amount or travel expenses to tournaments. But I can travel myself. Why pay interest when, as children, we gave up the Mouratoglou we all dreamed of? Everyone saw me play when I was 17 or 18. I played well. Why would I need their options when I traveled all the way with my parents? Of course, I didn't want to pay any interest."
If someone wants to help properly, like they do abroad and in Europe, then fine. Anything else – no thanks.
– Who made the proposals?
– From people from tennis, companies. From everyone.
- From the oligarchs?
- That happened too.
– Donskoy was sponsored by billionaire Bokarev.
"I didn't get any from him, but I did get some from others. I won't name names. Plus, girls work differently. There were some not-so-great offers, too."
- "Come be my escort, and you'll also play tennis"?
"That happened, yes. Move there, live there, leave everything in Moscow behind. It became clear which way things were headed, and I said, 'Goodbye.' I didn't go into any more detail. Why do I need all these details?"
Did the oligarch personally propose this?
- Yes.
Is he a public figure that everyone knows?
– Yes, and it wasn't just one person. There were many such proposals. A lot.
– But even if you were kept, you could play tennis?
"That's unknown. I don't think so. Moving to, say, Monaco... I'm not sure those people would have given me the opportunity to play. And I found it funny, I thought, 'What nonsense?'"
And these offers came naturally. It wasn't like I came up to them and said, "Oh, I need something." I don't need anything.
Do you communicate with Ukrainian women?
"There are a couple of girls who talk and say hello. And then there are those who don't say hello at all. When I first got into a tournament against them, I had to go up to Tsurenko—and we were talking—and say hello just to get any response."
A counterexample is Katya Kozlova, who now lives in Germany and plays under the name Beindl. She communicates well, no problems. The Kichenkas communicate and say hello.
I understand that they need to save face for the federation. To show that they don't take photos with us, don't train with us, don't shake our hands. In that sense, I understand them. Perhaps, if I were on the other side, I would do the same. On the other hand, as Kostyuk puts it... Or Svitolina once said that we should either not play at all or move our families. But how are you going to do that? We have grandparents, 70-80 year olds. That's nonsense.
You said that the coach received threats because of working with you.
"Yes, there were reports that he supported Putin because he was working with the Russians. At one point, he actually became pro-Ukrainian, ha-ha-ha. He told me, 'Now they'll be accepted into the EU, and that'll be the end of it.' I started studying history and said, 'No, they've been wanting it for a long time, but they're not accepted.' He argued with me."
I remember the beginning of the training session—half an hour of arguing about the situation, when it would end, who was right and who was wrong. By the end, I was already saying, "Listen, I don't know anything and I don't want to know anything. There are things we don't know in detail, so let's not discuss them. Okay?"
When it all started in February 2022, I was in France. I got injured and had to stay in Europe for another three or four months. I couldn't fly home because the flights were canceled, plus they told me I shouldn't go back to Russia; I wouldn't be able to fly back. I had to wander around Europe.
– What do you think about Kasatkina, who changed her citizenship?
"After her interview, it was clear she'd be transitioning. Dasha received far more help than anyone else."
- Federation?
- Yes. And she said that they didn’t help her at all.
- How did they help her?
– Financially, with a wild card. And everything else.
Right now you're in the top 500. To break even, you need to be in the top 130."
"Not 130, much higher. But I earned some money and can afford to play some more."
- So you live on the money you earned earlier?
"Of course. Certainly not the same as now. I don't earn anything. But I can't say I spend much either."
«Сказать, что Россия – отстой, как Касаткина? Я бы не смогла». Виталия Дьяченко – про олигархов, подкаты и украинок
Неловкие подкаты, Касаткина и предложения олигархов.
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