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Australia's highest-rated WTA competitor has opted to step away for the remainder of the tennis calendar, stating she is at her “emotional and mental threshold.”

Reasons Behind the Decision

Daria Kasatkina, who this year altered her citizenship to represent Australia, blamed the transition for contributing to immense “emotional and mental stress.”

Further contributors included the continued challenge of being distant from her family and the demanding competition calendar.

“I haven't been okay for a long time and, truth be told, my match outcomes and showings show it,” she wrote on digital platforms.

She added, “Honestly, I've hit a wall and must stop now. I require time off. A rest from the monotonous daily grind of the tennis circuit, the travel, the outcomes, the pressure, the regular competitors (sorry, girls), all aspects of this career.”

Private Difficulties and Future Hopes

“Each person has a limit I can endure and handle as a female athlete, all whilst competing with the top competitors in the world.”

“If this makes me weak, then I accept it, I'm weak. But, I am confident in my resilience and will get stronger by being away, recharging, reorganizing and renewing. Now is the moment I listened to myself for a change, my thoughts, my emotions and my physical self.”

Kasatkina chose to switch citizenship after exiting her home country due to safety concerns, having previously criticized the government's legislation targeting LGBTQ+ individuals and the invasion of Ukraine. After initially residing in the Middle East, she moved to Melbourne and obtained permanent residency in the spring.

She later got engaged to companion a former Olympic figure skater, who previously earned a Olympic silver for her birth country at the PyeongChang Games after first representing for her home country of Estonia.

She also revealed she has been unable to visit her parent, who stayed behind in Russia, for four years.

Professional Background

A French Open semi-finalist in recent years, Kasatkina had concluded the previous four seasons ranked in the top ten but is currently 19th after a challenging season where she had a near-even record.

She is likely to drop out of the leading positions by the time the next Grand Slam arrives.

The 28-year-old confirmed she will return in next year, “recharged and motivated,” with the preparation for her domestic major probably acting as a key objective.

Wider Context

Australia's next best competitor is a rising star, ranked 35th globally.

She is the latest leading female player to end their season early, following Paula Badosa and Elina Svitolina, amid a recent trend of athletes withdrawing during competitions.

The WTA requires leading players to compete in a required schedule, encompassing the major tournaments, premier tour stops, and six 500-level tournaments.

But top-ranked player a leading athlete stated recently, “It's not feasible to squeeze it in the calendar. It's possible I will have to choose some events and omit them, despite the fact that they are mandatory.

“It's essential to plan wisely about it - not really unfortunately care about the guidelines and just consider what's good for us.”