Tennis can look glamorous from the outside: the trophies, the travel, the adrenaline of match point. Yet behind the backhands and post-match smiles, there is often a storm brewing. For Russia-born Australian tennis star Daria Kasatkina, that storm has finally hit.

The world number 19 shocked fans this week when she announced she’s ending her 2025 season early, citing exhaustion and mental strain. "Truth is, I’ve hit a wall and can’t continue," she confessed in an emotional Instagram post. "I need a break. A break from the monotonous daily grind of life on the tour, the suitcases, the results, the pressure, the same faces (sorry, girls), everything that comes with this life.".

Daria's statement

Kasatkina’s words cut through the glossy facade of the tennis world to reveal the fatigue behi

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