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<\/p>\nDaria Kasatkina is primed to return from a mental health break and make her first Australian Open as a local winner, according to veterans Storm Hunter and Daria Saville.<\/p>\n
Russian-born Kasatkina switched allegiances to Australia in March, less than two months after reaching the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time.<\/p>\n
After declaring for Australia, the former world number eight reached the fourth round at Roland Garros and the third round of Wimbledon and the US Open.<\/p>\n
But in October, Kasatkina pulled the pin on her season, blaming the “emotional and mental stress” related to the change, the strain of not seeing her family and the relentless schedule of the tennis circuit.<\/p>\n
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Daria Kasatkina (right) made the fourth round the last time she played at Melbourne Park earlier his year, losing o Emma Navarro. (AAP: Lukas Coch)<\/p>\n
“I’ve been far from fine for a long time and, truth be told, my results and performances show that,” the 28-year-old wrote on social media.<\/p>\n
“Truth is, I’ve hit a wall and can’t continue. I need a break.”<\/p>\n
Kasatkina vowed to return “energised and ready to rock” in 2026 and will kick off her season at the Brisbane International, which starts on January 4.<\/p>\n
Kasatkina ‘taps out’ of 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Daria Kasatkina ends her 2025 WTA season early, citing the hectic schedule and a high-stress year after switching nationalities to Australia from Russia.<\/p>\n A French Open semi-finalist in 2022, Kasatkina finished the previous four calendar years ranked in the top 10 but is currently 37th.<\/p>\n She is unlikely to be seeded in January and has slipped behind world number 32 Maya Joint in terms of the Australian pecking order.<\/p>\n But Kasatkina will be among the event’s main drawcards, likely featuring on Rod Laver Arena, given her credentials.<\/p>\n Hunter, who has known Kasatkina for years, backed her to perform \u2014 and the local crowd to “embrace” her.<\/p>\n “It’ll definitely be a new thing for her,” Hunter told AAP.<\/p>\n