Tennis Star Daria Kasatkina Set to Make Triumphant Return to Australian Open After Mental Health Break: ‘She’s Going to Rock!’
- Tennis ace Daria Kasatkina is poised to make a comeback at the Australian Open after a mental health break that saw her pull out of the season in October
- The 28-year-old Russian-born star, who switched allegiances to Australia in March, is ‘energised and ready to rock’ ahead of her first tournament as a local
- Friends and fellow tennis players Storm Hunter and Daria Saville have backed Kasatkina to perform, saying she’ll be ‘just fine’ and ‘the crowds will love her’
- Kasatkina, who reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time last year, is unlikely to be seeded in January but will still be a main drawcard at the event
Daria Kasatkina is primed to make a triumphant return to the Australian Open after a mental health break that saw her pull out of the season in October. The 28-year-old Russian-born star, who switched allegiances to Australia in March, is ‘energised and ready to rock’ ahead of her first tournament as a local.
Friends and fellow tennis players Storm Hunter and Daria Saville have backed Kasatkina to perform, saying she’ll be ‘just fine’ and ‘the crowds will love her’. Hunter, who has known Kasatkina for years, said the local crowd will ’embrace’ her, adding: ‘She’s got her YouTube channel so everyone can get along and they know her story and what’s happened. That’s really cool.’
Kasatkina, who reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time last year, is unlikely to be seeded in January but will still be a main drawcard at the event. She is currently ranked 37th in the world, having slipped behind world No.32 Maya Joint in the Australian pecking order.
But despite the challenges ahead, Kasatkina is feeling positive about her return to the court. In a heartfelt social media post in October, she revealed she had been struggling with ’emotional and mental stress’ related to her switch to Australia and the relentless schedule of the tennis circuit.
‘I’ve been far from fine for a long time and, truth be told, my results and performances show that,’ she wrote. ‘Truth is, I’ve hit a wall and can’t continue. I need a break.’
However, Kasatkina is now ‘going well’ and ‘looking forward to the next season’, according to close friend and fellow Russian-born player Daria Saville. Saville, who is pregnant and skipping the Australian Open, said Kasatkina is ‘really excited to come to Australia and enjoy the home advantage’.
‘She’s going to really enjoy it,’ Saville said. ‘When she played in New York, she felt very welcomed. We’re a group of girls, we’re really nice. We’re like, ‘you’re part of us, hello’.’