Professional Player Daria Kasatkina Concludes Season Early, Pointing to Emotional Strain

Ranked 19th globally the tennis professional has declared she is at her "breaking point" and chose to conclude her competitive year ahead of schedule, labeling the grueling calendar as "excessive, psychologically and personally."

The 28-year-old changed her citizenship from Russia to the Australian nation in March, following voiced concerns regarding her home country's LGBTQ+ laws and the ongoing conflict in the Ukrainian region.

She struggled with consistency this year, failing to win a tournament and finishing with a win-loss tally of 19-21.

Kasatkina linked the mental strain from her nationality switch as a major contributor to her challenges, which involve not seeing her parent for several years.

She wrote in a lengthy statement: "I have been not okay for quite a while and, truth be told, my results and performances reflect that."

"I have reached breaking point and sadly I am not alone," she added.

"Combine the situation the emotional and mental stress related to my citizenship change and there is only so much I can manage and take as an single person."

"Should this label me as fragile, then I accept it, I'm weak," she remarked.

"However, I believe I am resilient and will grow stronger by taking a break and restoring my energy."

"It's time I heeded my own needs for a change."

Other Players Also Halting Seasons Prematurely

Ex-elite competitors Svitolina and Badosa similarly concluded their seasons early in the past few weeks.

Ukraine's Svitolina mentioned she had "not felt her usual self", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an persistent spinal issue.

Other players have voiced concerns about the impact of the tennis calendar.

Five players withdrew due to injury in a pair of events in China recently, with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek commenting the season is "excessively lengthy and demanding."

WTA Regulations and Player Concerns

The WTA requires for top players to compete in each major tournament, ten premier events and six 500-level tournaments.

The majority of 1000 events on the women's and men's circuits run for a fortnight, as do each of the Grand Slams.

Players can skip mandatory events if they are injured or have personal reasons, but they will receive no rankings points or prize money if they do not play.

Ex-top ranked player Novak Djokovic, who has reduced his schedule in recent years to preserve his health, has called on players to be better aligned in advocating for reforms.