Russia's Kasatkina announces she is gay

'I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it.'

Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina announced on Monday that she is gay and found "living in the closet" impossible.

The 25-year-old, a semi-finalist at last month's French Open, said she was inspired to come out after Russian soccer striker Nadya Karpova revealed she was gay in a country where homosexuality is frowned upon.

"Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, fuck everyone else," Kasatkina told Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko after telling him that she has a girlfriend.

"I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it. It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support."

Russian lawmakers have proposed extending a ban on the promotion of "non-traditional" sexual relationships to minors to include adults as well.

Russia's existing "gay propaganda" law, passed in 2013, has been used to stop gay pride marches and detain gay rights activists.