Tennis Star Daria Kasatkina Concludes Campaign Early, Pointing to Mental Exhaustion
Ranked 19th globally Daria Kasatkina announced she is at her "limit" and has decided to conclude her tennis season ahead of schedule, describing the intense schedule as "too much, mentally and emotionally."
The 28-year-old athlete changed her citizenship from the Russian Federation to the Australian nation in the month of March, after voiced concerns regarding her home country's LGBTQ+ laws and the war in Ukraine.
She struggled with consistency this year, not managing to win a tournament and finishing with a record of 19 wins and 21 losses.
Kasatkina linked the emotional stress from her nationality switch as a significant factor to her difficulties, which involve not visiting with her father for four years.
She wrote in a detailed post: "I've been not okay for a long time and, truth be told, my on-court showings show that."
"I am at breaking point and sadly I am not alone," she added.
"Combine the situation the emotional and mental stress related to my nationality switch and there is only so much I can manage and endure as an single person."
"Should this label me as fragile, then so be it, I'm weak," she stated.
"However, I know I am strong and will grow stronger by being away and recharging."
"The moment has come I listened to my own needs for a change."
Other Players Similarly Ending Their Years Prematurely
Former top-five players Svitolina and Badosa similarly ended their campaigns ahead of time in the past few weeks.
Ukraine's Svitolina mentioned she had "not been feeling like myself", while Badosa has spoken about the mental toll of an persistent back problem.
Other players have also spoken about the effect of the tour schedule.
A quintet of competitors withdrew due to injury in a pair of events in China last week, with six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek commenting the competitive year is "too long and intense."
Tour Requirements and Player Issues
The WTA has made it mandatory for elite athletes to participate in each major tournament, ten premier events and six 500-level tournaments.
The majority of premier tournaments on the women's and men's circuits last a fortnight, as do all four major championships.
Competitors can skip mandatory events if they are injured or have personal reasons, but they will not get any points for the standings 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 called on players to be more united in advocating for reforms.
