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World number 19 Daria Kasatkina has declared she is at her "breaking point" and chose to conclude her tennis season early, describing the demanding calendar as "too much, mentally and emotionally."

The 28-year-old athlete changed her citizenship from Russia to the Australian nation in March, after public criticism regarding her nation's LGBTQ+ laws and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Her performance suffered for form throughout the season, not managing to secure a title and finishing with a win-loss tally of 19-21.

Kasatkina linked the mental strain from her nationality switch as a major contributor to her challenges, which involve not seeing her parent for four years.

She wrote in a detailed post: "I have been not okay for quite a while and, truth be told, my results and performances show that."

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

"Add in the mix the psychological pressure associated with my nationality switch and there is only so much I can manage and endure as an individual woman."

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

"However, I believe I am resilient and will get stronger by taking a break and recharging."

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

Fellow Athletes Similarly Halting Their Years Early

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

Ukraine's Svitolina stated she had "not felt her usual self", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an persistent back problem.

Additional athletes have also spoken about the effect of the tennis calendar.

A quintet of competitors retired due to injury in a pair of events in China last week, with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek commenting the competitive year is "too long and intense."

Tour Requirements and Player Concerns

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has made it mandatory for top players to participate in every Grand Slam, 10 WTA 1000 events and six secondary competitions.

The majority of premier tournaments on the WTA and men's ATP Tour run for two weeks, as do each of the Grand Slams.

Players may miss 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 recent years to preserve his health, has urged fellow professionals to be more united in advocating for reforms.