Overview

• Kasatkina announced on social media that she will not compete again until 2026, saying the schedule is too much mentally and emotionally.
• Her 2025 record slipped to 19–22 with her ranking around No. 19–20, and her last match was a straight-sets defeat to Sonay Kartal in Beijing on September 27.
• The 28-year-old switched sporting nationality from Russia to Australia in March, a move shaped by her opposition to Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws and the war in Ukraine.
• She said prolonged separation from her parents, including four years without seeing her father, and ongoing eligibility processes in Australia contributed to her decision.
• Her pause joins a wider pattern of early season shutdowns and schedule complaints on the WTA Tour, with Elina Svitolina and Paula Badosa stepping away and Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff criticizing mandatory-event demands.