Professional Player Daria Kasatkina Ends Season Early, Pointing to Mental Strain

World number 19 the tennis professional has declared she is at her "breaking point" and chose to end her competitive year early, labeling the demanding calendar as "too much, psychologically and personally."

The 28-year-old athlete switched her nationality from the Russian Federation to Australia in March, following public criticism regarding her home country's LGBTQ+ laws and the ongoing conflict in the Ukrainian region.

Her performance suffered with consistency this year, failing to secure a title and finishing with a win-loss tally of 19-21.

Kasatkina attributed the emotional stress from her nationality switch as a major contributor to her challenges, which involve not seeing her parent for four years.

She expressed in a detailed post: "I have been not okay for quite a while and, honestly speaking, my on-court showings reflect that."

"I have reached breaking point and sadly I am in the same boat as others," she continued.

"Combine the mix the psychological pressure associated with my citizenship change and I can only handle so much I can manage and endure as an individual woman."

"Should this label me as weak, then so be it, I am not strong enough," she remarked.

"Nonetheless, I know I am strong and will get stronger by taking a break and recharging."

"It's time I listened to myself for once."

Other Players Similarly Ending Seasons Early

Former top-five players Elina Svitolina and Paula Badosa have also ended their campaigns early in recent weeks.

The Ukrainian star mentioned she had "not been feeling like myself", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an persistent spinal issue.

Additional athletes have voiced concerns about the effect of the tennis calendar.

Five players withdrew due to injury in two tournaments in China last week, with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek commenting the competitive year is "excessively lengthy and demanding."

WTA Regulations and Athlete Concerns

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has made it mandatory 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 last a fortnight, as do each of the Grand Slams.

Competitors may miss mandatory events if they are injured or have personal reasons, but they will receive no points for the standings or prize money if they opt out.

Ex-top ranked player Djokovic, who has reduced his schedule in recent years to preserve his health, has urged players to be more united in advocating for reforms.