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Ranked 19th globally the tennis professional announced she is at her "breaking point" and has decided to end her tennis season early, describing the demanding schedule as "too much, psychologically and personally."

The 28-year-old athlete switched her nationality from the Russian Federation to Australia in March, after voiced concerns regarding her nation's LGBTQ+ laws and the ongoing conflict in the Ukrainian region.

She struggled with consistency this year, failing to win a tournament and concluding with a win-loss tally of 19-21.

The athlete attributed the mental strain from her nationality switch as a major contributor to her challenges, which included not visiting with her father for four years.

She expressed in a detailed post: "I've been far from fine for a long time and, honestly speaking, my on-court showings show that."

"I am at breaking point and sadly I am in the same boat as others," she continued.

"Add in the situation the emotional and mental stress associated with my nationality switch and there is only so much I can deal with and endure as an individual woman."

"Should this label me as weak, then so be it, I'm weak," she remarked.

"Nonetheless, I know I am resilient and will get stronger by being away and recharging."

"The moment has come I heeded myself for once."

Other Players Similarly Ending Their Years Early

Former top-five players Elina Svitolina and Badosa similarly ended their seasons ahead of time in recent weeks.

Ukraine's Svitolina mentioned she had "not felt like myself", while Badosa has spoken about the psychological impact of an persistent back problem.

Other players have also spoken about the impact of the tour schedule.

A quintet of competitors retired due to injury in two tournaments in China last week, with multiple major winner Iga Swiatek commenting the competitive year is "excessively lengthy and demanding."

Tour Regulations and Athlete Issues

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) requires for elite athletes to compete in every major tournament, ten premier events and six secondary competitions.

The bulk of 1000 events on the women's and men's circuits last two weeks, as do all four Grand Slams.

Competitors can skip required tournaments if they are hurt or have personal reasons, but they will not get any points for the standings or financial rewards if they do not play.

Former world number one Novak Djokovic, who has slimmed down his schedule in recent years to preserve his health, has called on players to be better aligned in forcing change.