Kasatkina reflects on her difficult 2025 year: "I had reached my limits and I couldn't go on anymore"
What does the year 2026 hold for Daria Kasatkina? The Australian, who has only played one quarterfinal on the main tour this season (in Adelaide in January), hopes to bounce back and rediscover her best feelings on court. The 28-year-old player ended her 2025 season after her early exit in her opening match against Sonay Kartal at the WTA 1000 in Beijing.
Kasatkina will start her 2026 season at the WTA 500 in Brisbane
"The truth is, I had reached my limits and I couldn't go on anymore. I needed a break. A break from the monotonous daily life on the tour: the suitcases, the results, the pressure, the same faces (sorry, girls), and everything that comes with this life.
There are limits to what I can endure and accept as a woman, while competing with the best female athletes in the world. If that makes me weak, then so be it, I am weak. However, I know that I am strong and that I will become stronger by stepping away, recharging, and regaining strength. It's time for me to listen to my heart, my mind, and my body," she stated for Tennis World USA.
Kasatkina will start the next season at the WTA 500 in Brisbane from January 4 to 11, 2026, along with Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, who were confirmed by the tournament organizers several weeks ago.
