French Open: Daria Kasatkina is flying the Australian flag in Paris

Daria Kasatkina was brave enough to publicly oppose Russia’s war on Ukraine. Her homeland locked its doors to her. We took her in, fired up the barbie, told her to watch The Castle – and now she’s into the third round of the French Open in her first tournament as an Australian.

Australia’s Daria Kasatkina during her win over France's Leolia Jeanjean at the French Open.

Daria Kasatkina is a productive type. Her intention in every French Open match is to get the job done. Her range of expression could barely be different if she was tidying her Paris apartment with mop and broom.

Then in interviews she’s expressive, heart-on-sleeve, self-deprecating, honest, all over the shop and emotional. She could talk until the cows come home. “Yes, mate!” Kasatkina says of representing Australia for the first time at a major. “I’m honestly enjoying it. I’m already getting used to it. The first few matches, in the first couple of weeks, was a little bit weird for me. But I’m almost there. I feel more and more support. In the matches I can hear, ‘Let’s go Aussie! Let’s go Aussie!’ That’s amazing and honestly, I cannot wait for (the Australian Open at) Melbourne. I know I’m going to shit my pants but honestly, I’m looking forward to it.”

With endearing sincerity, she says in her on-court interviewing after reaching round three at Roland Garros: “To be representing Australia on the biggest stage is a big honour for me.”

Australia has adopted a brave, respectable athlete. Kasatkina brings to mind Beth Mooney diligently making hundreds for our indomitable women’s cricket team; she brings to mind Kyra Cooney-Cross’s no-nonsense approach to controlling the midfield for the Matildas; she brings to mind Ash Barty mercifully competing as quietly as a church mouse, without the need to wail like a police siren while hitting a forehand, nor scream like a banshee at the moment of impact on a backhand, nor caterwaul like so many of her former Russian counterparts. Perhaps that’s why she left. Her ears were bleeding.

A fan holds a sign for Kasatkina featuring Pokemon and Bingo from Bluey.

There was much more to it, of course. Kasatkina wanted “to live a free, open life.” She was courageous enough to publicly oppose Russia’s war with Ukraine when most of her peers were hiding under the table and saying nothing. She was in a same-sex relationship and her homeland locked its doors to her. She’s been unable to visit her parents in years. She wanted and needed a fresh start and so we took her in, fired up the barbie, bought her a bucket hat, told her to watch The Castle, gave her a pair of flip-flops, made her choose between Ford and Holden, and Collingwood and Carlton, and we put Men at Work’s Down Under on her playlist, and when she asked if we spoke-a her language, we just smiled and gave her a Vegemite sandwich.

Then we thanked her for giving us a top-20 women’s player for the first time since Barty, a character so Australian she could’ve actually been in The Castle.

Kasatkina, born in Tolyatti, and now a resident of Melbourne, and finally understanding what it means to have a good coffee, progressed thanks to a 6-4, 6-2 win over France’s Leolia Jeanjean. The first set was the mop, the second a broom. Rather comically, at the ripe old age of 28, on the same court where Novak Djokovic had just won aged 38, when the poor old thing must be fortunate to emerge from bed without a helping hand, she lamented the sands of time.

“This is my 11th season. The time flies so it’s very important to enjoy playing in these moments and playing on courts like Suzanne-Lenglen,” said the 17th-seeded twenty-something. “It’s something superspecial because with the years you realise you’re not young forever. When you’re younger you think it’ll always be there, but unfortunately not.”

Darl, let me tell you something. As someone who can add a couple of decades to your 28, you have no idea how young you actually are.

The old battle-axe, who’s reached a French Open semi-final and been the World No. 8, next faces Spain’s 10th-seeded Paula Badosa on Saturday.

“It’s getting tougher every year,” Kasatkina said of the alleged improvement on the women’s tour. “Unfortunately, I’m not getting any younger …”

Darl!

“That’s something you just have to accept,” she continued.

Kasatkina is looking to make a long run in her first tournament as an Australian.

“The level is rising. Any tournament, any match, even first round is going to be a battle. Everyone’s fighting. The level is so high. Everyone wants to win. Tennis is so physical. Everyone is athletic. There’s no holes in the games of the girls. It’s tough and also, look at me!”

You’ve watched Kath and Kim? Look at moi?

“Look at me!” she said. “I’m not an unbelievable physical girl. I have to go out there and work every single day and try to be ­mentally there. If I’m mentally a ­little bit dropping my level, maybe 5 per cent, I’m already not as competitive as I should be. It’s tough, but this is all part of the game. I strive to be consistent. ”

Kasatkina was a likeable athlete long before she started singing Advance Australia Fair. Hope she knows the first verse will do. She can look rather worried in the throes of battle, but she’s a fighter. How good is she? Pretty good. Dasha’s a baseline grinder.

She was in the top 10 and nicknamed “The Wall” before she nearly quit the tour because of heightened pressure, and too much spotlight, when too many people were looking at her, and ­before Russia’s war turned her life upside down. Personally and professionally, Kasatkina was having a rough time until we rolled out the welcome mat. Character analysis? She’s a good ’un.