Professional Player Daria Kasatkina Concludes Campaign Early, Pointing to Emotional Strain
World number 19 Daria Kasatkina stated she is at her "limit" and has decided to conclude her competitive year early, describing the demanding schedule as "too much, 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+ laws and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
She struggled with consistency this year, failing to win a tournament and finishing with a win-loss tally of 19 wins and 21 losses.
Kasatkina linked the emotional stress from her nationality switch as a significant factor to her challenges, which involve not visiting with her parent for several years.
She wrote in a detailed post: "I have been not okay for quite a while and, truth be told, my on-court showings show that."
"I have reached breaking point and sadly I am not alone," she added.
"Add in the mix the emotional and mental stress associated with my nationality switch and I can only handle so much I can deal with and endure as an single person."
"If this makes me weak, then I accept it, I am not strong enough," she remarked.
"Nonetheless, I know I am resilient and will get stronger by taking a break and restoring my energy."
"The moment has come I heeded myself for a change."
Fellow Athletes Also Ending Seasons Prematurely
Ex-elite competitors Elina Svitolina and Badosa similarly ended their campaigns early in recent weeks.
The Ukrainian star mentioned she had "not felt her usual self", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an ongoing back problem.
Additional athletes have voiced concerns about the effect of the tennis calendar.
A quintet of competitors withdrew injured in two tournaments in China last week, with multiple major winner Swiatek saying the season is "too long and intense."
Tour Requirements and Athlete Issues
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) requires for elite athletes to participate in each major tournament, ten premier events and six 500-level tournaments.
The majority of premier tournaments on the WTA and men's ATP Tour run for a fortnight, as do each of the major championships.
Competitors may miss mandatory events if they are injured or have private matters, but they will not get any rankings points or financial rewards if they do not play.
Former world number one Novak Djokovic, who has slimmed down his schedule in recent years to preserve his health, has urged fellow professionals to be better aligned in forcing change.
