đŸ”— Share this article Tennis Star Kasatkina Concludes Season Prematurely, Pointing to Mental Strain Ranked 19th globally Daria Kasatkina has declared she is at her "breaking point" and chose to end her tennis season early, labeling the grueling calendar as "excessive, psychologically and personally." The 28-year-old switched her nationality from the Russian Federation to Australia in the month of March, after voiced concerns regarding her nation's LGBTQ+ regulations and the war in the Ukrainian region. Her performance suffered with consistency throughout the season, failing to secure a title and finishing with a win-loss tally of 19-21. Kasatkina linked the emotional stress from her change of citizenship as a major contributor to her challenges, which involve not visiting with her father for four years. She wrote in a lengthy statement: "I have been far from fine for a long time and, truth be told, my on-court showings reflect that." "I have reached my limit and unfortunately I am in the same boat as others," she added. "Combine the situation the psychological pressure associated with my citizenship change and there is only so much I can manage and take as an individual woman." "Should this label me as fragile, then so be it, I am not strong enough," she remarked. "However, I know I am strong and will grow stronger by taking a break and recharging." "It's time I heeded my own needs for a change." Other Players Also Halting Seasons Early Ex-elite competitors Elina Svitolina and Paula Badosa have also ended their campaigns ahead of time in recent weeks. The Ukrainian star mentioned she had "not felt like myself", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an ongoing back problem. Other players have also spoken about the effect of the tennis calendar. Five players withdrew due to injury in two tournaments in China recently, with six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek commenting the competitive year is "excessively lengthy and demanding." Tour Regulations and Player Concerns The WTA requires for elite athletes to compete in every Grand Slam, ten premier events and six 500-level tournaments. The bulk of 1000 events on the women's and men's circuits run for a fortnight, as do all four major championships. Competitors can skip mandatory events if they are injured or have private matters, but they will receive no points for the standings or financial rewards if they opt out. Former world number one Djokovic, who has slimmed down his tournament appearances in recent years to preserve his health, has urged players to be better aligned in forcing change.