Professional Player Daria Kasatkina Concludes Campaign Early, Pointing to Emotional Strain
World number 19 Daria Kasatkina announced she is at her "breaking point" and has decided to end her tennis season early, characterizing the demanding schedule as "excessive, psychologically and personally."
The 28-year-old athlete changed her citizenship from the Russian Federation to the Australian nation in the month of March, after public criticism regarding her home country's LGBTQ+ regulations and the ongoing conflict in the Ukrainian region.
She struggled with consistency throughout the season, failing to win a tournament and concluding with a record of 19 wins and 21 losses.
The athlete attributed the emotional stress from her change of citizenship as a major contributor to her difficulties, which involve not visiting with her parent for several years.
She expressed in a detailed post: "I have been not okay for quite a while and, honestly speaking, my on-court showings show that."
"I am at breaking point and unfortunately I am in the same boat as others," she added.
"Combine the situation the emotional and mental stress related to my nationality switch and I can only handle so much I can manage and take as an single person."
"If this makes me weak, then so be it, I am not strong enough," she stated.
"However, I believe I am resilient and will get stronger by being away and recharging."
"It's time I listened to my own needs for a change."
Other Players Also Ending Seasons Prematurely
Ex-elite competitors Elina Svitolina and Badosa similarly ended their campaigns ahead of time in recent weeks.
Ukraine's Svitolina mentioned she had "not felt her usual self", while the Spanish player has discussed the psychological impact of an persistent back problem.
Other players have voiced concerns about the effect of the tennis calendar.
A quintet of competitors retired injured in a pair of events in China recently, with multiple major winner Swiatek saying the competitive year is "excessively lengthy and demanding."
Tour Regulations and Player Issues
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has made it mandatory for elite athletes to compete in each major tournament, 10 WTA 1000 events and six secondary competitions.
The majority of premier tournaments on the WTA and men's ATP Tour run for a fortnight, as do each of the major championships.
Players can skip required tournaments if they are hurt or have personal reasons, but they will receive no points for the standings or prize money if they opt out.
Former world number one Novak Djokovic, who has reduced his schedule in recent years to protect his body, has called on players to be better aligned in advocating for reforms.
