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Australia’s Daria Kasatkina said she feels mentally recharged ahead of her return to tennis at the Brisbane International after taking a six-week mental health break.
Russian-born Kasatkina, who switched nationality in March, shut her season down in October, citing the mental strain of a heavy tour schedule and emotional stress from her battle to gain full Australian competition eligibility.
She said: “For us tennis players, it is very difficult to accept that you need a break.
“We have tournament after tournament, and we have to defend the points from the previous season, which is an additional anxiety. I just felt that if I pushed for longer I would have got in a deeper hole.”
She has not returned to Russia in over two years after coming out as gay and speaking out against the war in Ukraine, said it took her some time to be at ease away from tennis.
Kasatkina said, “The first three weeks were a disaster. It was really difficult. I just wasn’t enjoying it. I found myself being super unhappy and in a really dark place. After six weeks I feel like I am finally recharged.
“I needed to do this to understand there are certain limits you can push through and then you have to give yourself space to stay a sane person.”
The Brisbane International, one of the tune-up events for the Australian Open Grand Slam, begins on Sunday.
She has been ranked as high as world No. 8 in singles by the WTA, achieved in October 2022.
Kasatkina has won eight WTA Tour singles titles and one title in doubles.
