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Australia's highest-rated WTA competitor has opted to pause her career for the remainder of the 2025 season, explaining she is at her “mental and emotional breaking point.”

Reasons Behind the Announcement

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

Other reasons involved the persistent struggle of being away from her family and the demanding tour schedule.

“My well-being has suffered for a considerable period and, truth be told, my on-court achievements show it,” she wrote on digital platforms.

She continued, “Truth is, I've hit a wall and can't continue. I require time off. A pause from the tedious cycle of the tennis circuit, the constant packing, the outcomes, the stress, the regular competitors (my apologies, everyone), everything that comes with this life.”

Private Difficulties and Future Hopes

“Each person has a limit I can endure and handle as a female athlete, all whilst facing off against the top competitors in the world.”

“Should this be seen as weakness, then that's acceptable, I'm weak. That said, I believe in my strength and will improve by stepping back, refreshing, reorganizing and revitalizing. It's time I listened to myself for a shift, my thoughts, my emotions and my physical self.”

The athlete decided to change citizenship after leaving Russia due to safety concerns, having previously criticized the country's anti-LGBTQ+ laws and the war on Ukraine. First living in the UAE, she relocated to her new home and became a permanent resident in early this year.

She subsequently became engaged to companion an ex-Olympic athlete, who secured a silver medal for her former team at the PyeongChang Games after initially participating for her native Estonia.

The tennis star also revealed she has not seen her dad, who still lives in her homeland, for several years.

Tennis Journey

A French Open semi-finalist in 2022, Kasatkina had finished the recent years ranked in the top ten but is now 19th after a challenging season where she secured 19 victories against 21 defeats.

She is expected to fall from the leading positions by the time the home major begins.

The professional athlete announced she aims to resume in 2026, “refreshed and prepared,” with the preparation for her domestic major probably acting as a comeback goal.

Industry Impact

Australia's current No. 2 is a rising star, holding the 35th position.

The Australian No. 1 is the third top WTA competitor to cut short their year, following other prominent players, amid a notable increase of competitors stopping mid-game.

The Women's Tennis Association mandates top competitors to participate in a required schedule, encompassing the major tournaments, top-tier competitions, and lower-tier matches.

But top-ranked player the Polish star commented recently, “It's not feasible to squeeze it in the calendar. Perhaps I will have to pick some events and omit them, even though they are obligatory.

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