Top-Ranked Player Kasatkina Declares Career Break Due to ‘Psychological Pressure’
Australia's highest-rated WTA competitor has chosen to pause her career for the remainder of the 2025 season, explaining she is at her “psychological and emotional limit.”
Factors Leading to the Announcement
The Australian No. 1, who this year altered her allegiance to compete for Australia, blamed the change for contributing to significant “mental and emotional stress.”
Additional factors involved the ongoing difficulty of being separated from her family and the grueling circuit routine.
“My well-being has suffered for a considerable period and, to be frank, my results and performances demonstrate it,” she posted on her online accounts.
She added, “The reality is, I've hit a wall and can't continue. I must take a hiatus. A break from the monotonous daily grind of professional tennis, the suitcases, the results, the stress, the regular competitors (sorry, girls), everything that comes with this existence.”
Personal Struggles and Upcoming Goals
“I can only handle I can endure and handle as a female athlete, all whilst battling the best female athletes in the world.”
“If this makes me weak, then that's acceptable, it's true. However, I believe in my strength and will grow by taking time off, recharging, reorganizing and renewing. Now is the moment I listened to myself for a shift, my mind, my heart and my physical self.”
Kasatkina chose to switch allegiance after leaving her nation due to fears for her security, having publicly spoken against the government's legislation targeting LGBTQ+ individuals and the war on Ukraine. First living in Dubai, she moved to her new home and obtained permanent residency in early this year.
She subsequently became engaged to partner a former Olympic figure skater, who won a second-place finish for Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics after first representing for her native Estonia.
She additionally shared she has been unable to visit her dad, who stayed behind in Russia, for an extended period.
Career Context
A French Open semi-finalist in recent years, the player had finished the previous four seasons among the world's best but is currently outside the top 15 after a modest season where she had a near-even record.
She is expected to exit the elite rankings by the time the home major begins.
The 28-year-old stated she plans to come back in 2026, “energised and ready to rock,” with the lead-in to her local Grand Slam expected to be a key objective.
Industry Impact
Australia's next best competitor is Maya Joint, ranked 35th globally.
Kasatkina is the third elite athlete to withdraw from the tour, following two other stars, amid a recent trend of competitors stopping mid-game.
The Women's Tennis Association requires top competitors to participate in a minimum of 20 events, encompassing the Grand Slam events, top-tier competitions, and lower-tier matches.
But elite competitor a leading athlete commented in the past, “It's not feasible to squeeze it in the schedule. It's possible I will have to choose some competitions and omit them, although they are obligatory.
“We have to be smart about it - possibly disregarding about the guidelines and just think what's beneficial for us.”
