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Australia's leading women's tennis player has chosen to step away for the remainder of the tennis calendar, admitting she is at her “emotional and mental threshold.”

Factors Leading to the Choice

The tennis professional, who recently changed her citizenship to represent Australia, attributed the move for contributing to considerable “psychological strain.”

Other reasons included the ongoing difficulty of being distant from her family and the relentless competition calendar.

“I've been far from fine for a extended duration and, honestly speaking, my results and performances reflect that,” she posted on social media.

She added, “Truth is, I've encountered a barrier and am unable to proceed. I require time off. A break from the repetitive routine of professional tennis, the suitcases, the outcomes, the stress, the familiar opponents (my apologies, everyone), all aspects of this existence.”

Personal Struggles and Future Hopes

“There's only so much I can manage and cope with as a person, all whilst competing with the top competitors in the world.”

“Should this be seen as weakness, then that's acceptable, I am fragile. However, I am confident in my resilience and will grow by being away, recharging, regrouping and reenergising. It's time I heeded my own needs for a difference, my mind, my emotions and my health.”

Kasatkina decided to change citizenship after exiting her nation due to safety concerns, having publicly spoken against the country's policies affecting the queer community and the conflict in Ukraine. Originally based in Dubai, she relocated to her new home and obtained permanent residency in early this year.

She later got engaged to partner an ex-Olympic athlete, who secured a second-place finish for her former team at the PyeongChang Games after earlier competing for her native Estonia.

The tennis star further mentioned she has been unable to visit her parent, who remains in Russia, for an extended period.

Tennis Journey

A French Open semi-finalist in the past, she had concluded the recent years in the elite group but is now ranked 19th after a modest season where she secured 19 victories against 21 defeats.

She is likely to fall from the leading positions by the time the home major takes place.

The 28-year-old confirmed she aims to resume in 2026, “refreshed and prepared,” with the lead-in to her home grand slam expected to be a key objective.

Industry Impact

Australia's second-ranked player is another Australian athlete, placed 35th in the world.

The Australian No. 1 is the most recent elite athlete to withdraw from the tour, following Paula Badosa and Elina Svitolina, amid a growing pattern of players retiring mid-match.

The WTA mandates top competitors to compete in a required schedule, encompassing the major tournaments, top-tier competitions, and lower-tier matches.

But top-ranked player a leading athlete stated last month, “It's just impossible to squeeze it in the calendar. Perhaps I will have to pick some events and skip them, although they are obligatory.

“It's essential to plan wisely about it - possibly disregarding about the guidelines and just think what's good for us.”