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Ranked 19th globally Daria Kasatkina has declared she is at her "breaking point" and chose to conclude her tennis season ahead of schedule, characterizing the intense calendar as "too much, psychologically and personally."

The 28-year-old athlete changed her nationality from Russia to Australia in the month of March, after public criticism regarding her home country's LGBTQ+ laws and the war in the Ukrainian region.

Her performance suffered for form this year, not managing to secure a title and concluding with a record of 19 wins and 21 losses.

Kasatkina linked the emotional stress from her nationality switch as a significant factor to her challenges, which included not seeing her parent for several years.

She wrote in a lengthy statement: "I've been far from fine for a long time and, truth be told, my results and performances reflect that."

"I am at breaking point and unfortunately I am not alone," she added.

"Combine the mix the psychological pressure related to my citizenship change and I can only handle so much I can deal with and endure as an individual woman."

"If this makes me fragile, then so be it, I'm weak," she remarked.

"Nonetheless, I believe I am strong and will get stronger by taking a break and restoring my energy."

"It's time I heeded my own needs for once."

Fellow Athletes Also Ending Their Years Prematurely

Ex-elite competitors Elina Svitolina and Paula Badosa have also concluded their campaigns ahead of time in the past few weeks.

Ukraine's Svitolina mentioned she had "not felt like myself", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an ongoing spinal issue.

Other players have also spoken about the impact of the tour schedule.

Five players retired injured in two tournaments in China recently, with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek saying the season is "too long and intense."

Tour Regulations and Athlete Concerns

The WTA requires for elite athletes to compete in every major tournament, ten premier events and six secondary competitions.

The majority of 1000 events on the women's and men's circuits last a fortnight, as do each of the major championships.

Players can skip required tournaments if they are hurt or have private matters, but they will receive no points for the standings or financial rewards if they opt out.

Ex-top ranked player Novak Djokovic, who has slimmed down his tournament appearances in lately to preserve his health, has called on fellow professionals to be better aligned in advocating for reforms.