đŸ”— Share this article Tennis Star Daria Kasatkina Ends Season Prematurely, Citing Emotional Exhaustion World number 19 Daria Kasatkina stated she is at her "breaking point" and chose to conclude her competitive year early, characterizing the intense calendar as "too much, mentally and emotionally." The 28-year-old switched her citizenship from the Russian Federation to the Australian nation in the month of March, following public criticism regarding her nation's LGBTQ+ laws and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Her performance suffered with consistency this year, not managing to win a tournament and finishing with a win-loss tally of 19-21. The athlete attributed the emotional stress from her change of citizenship as a significant factor to her difficulties, which included not visiting with her father for four years. She wrote in a detailed post: "I've been far from fine for a long time and, honestly speaking, my on-court showings show that." "I am at breaking point and sadly I am not alone," she continued. "Combine the mix the emotional and mental stress associated with my citizenship change and I can only handle so much I can manage and take as an individual woman." "If this makes me weak, then so be it, I am not strong enough," she stated. "However, I know I am resilient and will get stronger by being away and recharging." "The moment has come I heeded my own needs for once." Other Players Similarly Halting Their Years Early Former top-five players Svitolina and Paula Badosa similarly ended their seasons early in the past few weeks. The Ukrainian star mentioned she had "not been feeling like myself", while the Spanish player has discussed the psychological impact of an ongoing back problem. Other players have also spoken about the impact of the tennis calendar. A quintet of competitors retired injured in a pair of events in China recently, with multiple major winner Iga Swiatek saying the competitive year is "excessively lengthy and demanding." Tour Requirements and Athlete Concerns The WTA requires for elite athletes to compete in each Grand Slam, 10 WTA 1000 events and six 500-level tournaments. The majority of premier tournaments on the WTA and men's ATP Tour run for a fortnight, as do all four major championships. Competitors may miss required tournaments if they are injured or have personal reasons, but they will receive no rankings points or financial rewards if they opt out. Former world number one Djokovic, who has reduced his schedule in recent years to protect his body, has called on players to be better aligned in forcing change.