"I was destroyed mentally" - Australian WTA No. 2 opens up about emotional reason behind ending 2025 season early

Australian women's tennis star Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season early after playing at the China Open, where she was defeated in the Round of 64 against Sonny Kartal. She cited emotional and mental exhaustion and wanted the break for rest and recovery.

On Monday, she joined the final episode of this year's The Sit-Down, where she opened up about the emotional reason behind retiring her 2025 season early. Kasatkina broke down the phases of her mental break, recovering in the first three weeks and then three weeks later, feeling recharged.

“So the first six weeks after the China Open, I took a break, a very well-needed break, because, you know, I was destroyed mentally, so I really needed it," Kasatkina said (0:44). "I mean, I was basically recovering during the first three weeks of the break, where I don’t even remember them, because I was just somewhere in space, honestly. "It was very weird, because I was just trying to figure out how I had to operate, you know, and stuff. Then, like three weeks after that, it was already better. I felt like I was recharging and stuff. So, you know, spending time with family, with friends, we had to visit all of them because, unfortunately, they cannot all come to us all the time. So we had to fly all over the globe."

The Australian WTA No. 2 now feels completely recharged and is ready to rumble for the upcoming campaign in her home country.

"Yeah, and now I’m finishing my fifth week of preseason, and I’m getting there, already working hard. Yeah, almost done with the preseason, and really looking forward to starting in Australia," she added.

Daria Kasatkina shed light on women's tennis evolution in last decade

Daria Kasatkina has noted a major shift in terms of playing style from the time she started playing on the tour in 2015. She noted that the skills that once looked to be rare are now becoming common on the tour.

“I remember when I just appeared on Tour in 2015, sometimes some girls were struggling when you were slicing the ball," Kasatkina said on the podcast. "Some girls were struggling with the slice and the kick serve. Right now there is no chance. All girls know how to return the kick serve, they know how to return 200kmph serve, they know how to go back and how to go inside and when to attack. So for me the main difference now compared to back then is that before it was styles of play."

Kasatkina ended her 2025 campaign ranked No. 37 in the world. She was among the players who struggled during the season and couldn't keep up with the toll of the busy WTA schedule.

Edited by Krutik Jain