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The nation's top-ranked female tennis athlete has opted to take a break until the end of the current year, stating she is at her “psychological and emotional threshold.”

Causes of the Announcement

The Australian No. 1, who this year altered her citizenship to represent Australia, credited the change for contributing to significant “psychological pressure.”

Other reasons involved the continued challenge of being distant from her family and the relentless tour schedule.

“My well-being has suffered for a long time and, honestly speaking, my on-court achievements reflect that,” she shared on social media.

She continued, “Truth is, I've hit a wall and am unable to proceed. I need a break. A rest from the repetitive routine of the tennis circuit, the constant packing, the results, the pressure, the familiar opponents (sorry, girls), all aspects of this life.”

Personal Struggles and Future Hopes

“There's only so much I can endure and handle as a female athlete, all whilst facing off against the top competitors in the world.”

“If this makes me weak, then that's acceptable, it's true. But, I believe in my strength and will improve by stepping back, refreshing, recalibrating and reenergising. The moment has come I paid attention to my instincts for a shift, my thoughts, my heart and my body.”

The athlete decided to change citizenship after exiting her home country due to apprehensions about her well-being, having openly opposed the nation's policies affecting the queer community and the war on Ukraine. Originally based in Dubai, she relocated to her new home and became a permanent resident in early this year.

She subsequently became engaged to longtime girlfriend an ex-Olympic athlete, who previously earned a second-place finish for her birth country at the 2018 Winter Olympics after earlier competing for her home country of Estonia.

The tennis star further mentioned she has not seen her parent, who stayed behind in Russia, for four years.

Tennis Journey

A Roland Garros final four competitor in the past, Kasatkina had finished the previous four seasons ranked in the top ten but is now ranked 19th after a mixed season where she won 19 and lost 21.

She is projected to drop out of the elite rankings by the time the Australian Open takes place.

The professional athlete stated she plans to come back in the following season, “energised and ready to rock,” with the build-up to her local Grand Slam likely serving as a return target.

Broader Implications

The nation's second-ranked player is Maya Joint, placed 35th in the world.

She is the most recent elite athlete to end their season early, following Paula Badosa and Elina Svitolina, amid a notable increase of players retiring mid-match.

The tour governing body obligates leading players to participate in a set number of tournaments, encompassing the Grand Slam events, premier tour stops, and additional WTA events.

But elite competitor the Polish star stated last month, “It's not feasible to accommodate everything the calendar. Perhaps I will have to select some tournaments and skip them, despite the fact that they are obligatory.

“We have to be smart about it - possibly disregarding about the regulations and just consider what's beneficial for us.”