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Australia's leading female tennis athlete has opted to take a break throughout the rest of the tennis calendar, admitting she is at her “emotional and mental threshold.”

Reasons Behind the Choice

The Australian No. 1, who this year altered her allegiance to compete for Australia, blamed the transition for contributing to immense “mental and emotional strain.”

Additional factors included the ongoing difficulty of being distant from her loved ones and the relentless tour schedule.

“I haven't been okay for a extended duration and, to be frank, my match outcomes and showings show it,” she shared on her online accounts.

She stated, “Truth is, I've reached my limit and can't continue. I need a break. A pause from the repetitive routine of the tennis circuit, the travel, the results, the stress, the same faces (apologies, ladies), everything that comes with this career.”

Personal Struggles and Future Hopes

“There's only so much I can endure and take as an individual woman, all whilst battling the leading players in the world.”

“If this makes me weak, then that's acceptable, I am fragile. That said, I am confident in my resilience and will get stronger by being away, refreshing, recalibrating and reenergising. Now is the moment I listened to myself for a shift, my brain, my emotions and my health.”

The athlete opted to alter allegiance after leaving her nation due to apprehensions about her well-being, having openly opposed the nation's anti-LGBTQ+ laws and the war on Ukraine. Originally based in the UAE, she settled in Melbourne and became a permanent resident in the spring.

She then announced her engagement to longtime girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, who won a second-place finish for her birth country at the 2018 Winter Olympics after first representing for her home country of Estonia.

Kasatkina additionally shared she has been unable to visit her dad, who still lives in her homeland, for four years.

Tennis Journey

A French Open semi-finalist in recent years, the player had ended the previous four seasons among the world's best but is presently outside the top 15 after a challenging season where she secured 19 victories against 21 defeats.

She is projected to fall from the top 20 by the time the next Grand Slam arrives.

The professional athlete stated she plans to come back in 2026, “refreshed and prepared,” with the preparation for her home grand slam likely serving as a key objective.

Wider Context

The nation's second-ranked player is another Australian athlete, holding the 35th position.

She is the latest elite athlete to cut short their year, following two other stars, amid a recent trend of players retiring mid-match.

The Women's Tennis Association mandates leading players to appear at a minimum of 20 events, featuring the four grand slams, top-tier competitions, and additional WTA events.

But top-ranked player Iga Swiatek remarked recently, “It's not feasible to fit it all in the calendar. Perhaps I will have to select some competitions and skip them, despite the fact that they are required.

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