Daria Kasatkina admits she was "destroyed mentally" when she decided to take a break from tennis and reveals she used the first couple of weeks only to recharge and figure out some things.
In early October, Kasatkina announced that she was ending her 2025 season because she reached "a breaking point" and dealt with severe burnout.
In a long message that was posted on social media, Kasatkina explained that the Tour demands - including constant traveling and playing - became too much. Also, she noted that everything that had happened in her personal life impacted her mentally - she came out as gay in 2022 - criticized the Russian government - claimed that visiting her family in Russia would be unsafe - and then switched her allegiance to Australia in the spring.
Kasatkina: I was destroyed mentally and I really needed a break
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. I mean, I was basically recovering during the first three weeks of the break, where I dont even remember them, because I was just somewhere in space, honestly," the 28-year-old said on The Sit-Down.
"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."
Now that Kasatkina is in a much better state, she is ready to return to tennis as the world No. 37 has been confirmed for the Brisbane International, which takes place in the first week of 2026.
