Mary Carillo: “Je vois la vie en clay.”

Tournament Highlights

What a great French Open this has been so far, scheduling snafus aside. And we still have the women’s semifinals and finals to go, while the men wrap up their remaining quarterfinals (I’m hoping Cilic and Ruud win theirs). Among the highlights:

  • The emotional retirement ceremony of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, one of my favorite ATP players, at his home tournament.
  • Gille Simon’s magical late-night first-round upset of Pablo Carreño Busta. Simon, who will retire at the end of the season, could barely stand as the fifth set drew to a close but was carried along by a rapturous home crowd while his excited kids watched from the stands.
  • Carlos Alcaraz’s 131 mph overhead bomb that fueled his second-round comeback against Albert Ramos-Viñolas.
  • Nadal’s quarterfinal victory over Djokovic, which wasn’t as close as the fourth-set scoreline might suggest.
  • Daria Kasatkina’s run to the semifinals. She’s a stealthy all-surface threat who is often overlooked by commentators due to her weak serve. She had a favorable draw at Roland Garros this year and made the most of it. (For those of you who found this page by searching for “Kasatkina lesbian,” click this post, scroll down a bit, and we’ll get to that.)
  • The ascendance of both Coco Gauff and Italy’s Martina Trevisan, a journeywoman who is radiant both on the court and in her writing. I found this piece about her recovery from an eating disorder quite moving (here’s an English translation). My wife battled anorexia for a very long time. She, like Trevisan, shares her story widely in hopes of helping others, and it takes a lot of guts to do it. The worst part of a Gauff/Trevisan semi is I’d like them both to win.
  • Iga Świątek continues to not only kick ass but to comport herself exactly as you’d expect from someone whose head is always in a book, whether she’s forgetting her age or experiencing chronic confusion about whether it’s a changeover.
  • Updated to add: Ruud just prevailed over the homophobic assclown Rune, and Rune barely shook Ruud’s hand at the net afterward, prompting Ruud to shake his head at his opponent’s immaturity. My wife, who has heard me complain about Rune before, looked up from her phone to joke “Would’ve been kind of funny if Ruud had said ‘Allez, f*ggot.'” (When Rune got in trouble for using anti-gay slurs, he claimed it was self-directed.)

Kasatkina Gets Personal in 2021 TV Interview

07.18.22 UPDATE: Kasatkina gives a better interview here, in a more relaxed atmosphere where she’s not being quite as bullied. She’s now being touted as an openly gay athlete.

First, a disclaimer: I’ve only transcribed the English subtitles for this Match TV interview from last year; I do not speak Russian myself. The full interview is nearly an hour long. It covers a wide range of topics and the questions are occasionally antagonistic, but Kasatkina is good-natured and gives thoughtful answers.

I can’t imagine it’s easy for any star athlete, much less one from Russia, to be as candid in response to gay questions as she was here, so kudos to her for that. Let’s also clarify that the interview contains several exchanges about bisexuality (she mentions a former boyfriend) and lesbianism. What you’re getting here are the highlights, beginning with Kasatkina’s response when asked why there aren’t more “out” athletes:

In Russia, things like that are met with huge negativity. Not just in Russia, same for the rest of the world. Europeans are more tolerant. But the world still doesn’t accept homosexuality as much. I think many athletes are afraid. Afraid of backlash, of losing sponsorships. There could be many reasons. But those who come out are doing it right. Why should one hide their true self?

daria kasatkina

There’s a second exchange I’ll include since it touches (so to speak) on a hot-button issue in women’s tennis—and women’s sports in general—the whole trope about predatory lesbians. Kasatkina ably swats it away:

Sofya Tartakova: I won’t believe that tennis girls never hit on you.

Daria Kasatkina: Tennis girls don’t, I’m telling you. Do you expect them to, what, sneak to my shower stall?

With that out of the way, we’ll get into the more revealing part of the interview, which was conducted online while Kasatkina was in Spain.

Tartakova: You told us that girls would hit on you, but never tennis girls. You made it clear that sex with a potential opponent is a no-no, because tennis is such a competitive sport. Overall, it seems that you tend to swing both ways. Could you compare how girls and boys flirt with you, is it different?

Kasatkina: Of course it is. Women know how to dangle the bait properly. [Laughs, looking for the right expression] What am I saying?

Tartakova: How to hook you up.

Kasatkina: Yes, that’s it. Woman knows better how other woman works. Understands other woman’s psychology and needs.

Tartakova: What are your needs? What do you like?

Kasatkina: Hmm, good question. I’m still learning myself.

Tartakova: I could call this an interest, too. It’s a matter of age, I guess.

Kasatkina: Hey, like I said, both ways have their perks, so why not?

Tartakova: Would you start a relationship with a girl? Actual relationship.

Kasatkina: Yes, I would. Girls in a relationship are connected with more connection. I mean, more understanding. After all, there’s lots of misunderstanding between men and women. Between women, not so much, I think.

Tartakova: So it’s like an intimacy of mind.

Kasatkina: Yes. Also in emotional way. Women are more emotional and feel each other’s emotions better.

It goes on from there, but you get the gist of it. Kasatkina concludes “Anyway, ask me in a few years and I’ll tell you!” Again, she was impressive in this interview, whether discussing her career, family or romantic life. Fans should watch the whole thing.