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Ranked 19th globally the tennis professional has declared she is at her "limit" and has decided to end her tennis season early, characterizing the intense schedule as "too much, psychologically and personally."

The 28-year-old athlete switched her citizenship from the Russian Federation to Australia in the month of March, following public criticism regarding her home country's LGBTQ+ laws and the ongoing conflict in the Ukrainian region.

She struggled for form this year, failing to secure a title and concluding with a record of 19-21.

Kasatkina attributed the emotional stress from her nationality switch as a significant factor to her difficulties, which included not seeing her father for several years.

She expressed in a detailed post: "I have been far from fine for a long time and, truth be told, my results and performances reflect that."

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

"Add in the situation the psychological pressure associated with my nationality switch and I can only handle so much I can deal with and take as an single person."

"Should this label me as fragile, then I accept it, I am not strong enough," she remarked.

"However, I believe I am resilient and will get stronger by being away and restoring my energy."

"The moment has come I listened to my own needs for once."

Fellow Athletes Also Ending Seasons Early

Ex-elite competitors Svitolina and Paula Badosa similarly ended their campaigns ahead of time in the past few weeks.

The Ukrainian star stated she had "not been feeling her usual self", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an ongoing back problem.

Other players have also spoken about the effect of the tennis calendar.

Five players retired injured in a pair of events in China recently, with multiple major winner Swiatek commenting the competitive year is "too long and intense."

WTA Requirements and Athlete Concerns

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) requires for top players to compete in every Grand Slam, 10 WTA 1000 events and six secondary competitions.

The bulk of premier tournaments on the women's and men's circuits run for a fortnight, as do each of the major championships.

Players can skip required tournaments if they are injured or have personal reasons, but they will not get any points for the standings or prize money if they opt out.

Ex-top ranked player Novak Djokovic, who has reduced his tournament appearances in lately to protect his body, has urged players to be more united in forcing change.