Kasatkina credits mental strength for late-career success

TOKYO — Is Daria Kasatkina enjoying the best year of her decade-long career on the Hologic WTA Tour? The 27-year-old has won two WTA 500 titles in 2024, along with four additional finals, and is eyeing a Top 10 finish for the third time in her career.

But for Kasatkina, it’s not the results that have defined her season.

“In terms of results, it’s been quite equal to the two previous years I finished Top 10,” Kasatkina told reporters ahead of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. “But in terms of mental stability, I think this is the best one. Also game-wise, compared to those seasons, I improved.

“Pretty happy to be back in the Top 10. Means a lot to me. Looking forward to, probably, the last tournament of this year.”

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Fresh off her title run at the Ningbo Open last week, Kasatkina is the No.3 seed in Tokyo. She concedes she’s feeling physically shattered from her five-week run through Asia, which began with a final at the Hana Bank Korea Open. But all she has to do is look around to see she’s not the only one. And if there’s one thing Kasatkina credits for her late-season surge, it’s her physical resilience.

“It’s my sixth week in Asia, my fifth tournament, and I’m fine,” Kasatkina told WTA Insider. “I’m feeling good. I see the players who are struggling physically and mentally, so I’m really pleased with this part.

“I’m not a person who needs a physiotherapist all the time, I don’t travel with one. I think I got lucky genetically.”

With her physicality sorted this season, Kasatkina has been able to focus on her mental well-being throughout the 10-month season. She credits her support network, which includes her girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, for helping her stay grounded.

“First of all, Natasha is traveling with me and it makes a huge difference to have someone who can cheer you up and listen to all the [nonsense] I’m saying all the time,” Kasatkina said. “Also, I realized how important it is to have a few friends on tour to chill and have dinners with. It also makes a huge difference.

“It’s very tough to travel as much as we do and it’s exhausting, mentally and physically. This year I think I handled it pretty well and I’m pretty proud of myself, especially with the end of the season.”

But Kasatkina is quick to point out it’s not all rainbows and butterflies every day. Her experience has shown that the bad days can come suddenly and without warning, triggered by the most anodyne of thoughts.

“Sometimes you never know when the mental breakdown will knock on your door,” Kasatkina said. “For example, I was a bit depressed that my birthday wasn’t going how I wanted. I couldn’t celebrate, couldn’t be with my friends or family. I had to be at a tournament. These kinds of simple things that can sometimes really crack you out of nowhere.”

With her appreciation of camaraderie and community, Kasatkina has the reputation of being a good-natured competitor and friend to all in the WTA locker room. That spirit was on display for all the world to see during the trophy ceremony in Ningbo, when she ran up on stage to console a defeated and emotional Mirra Andreeva.

Andreeva is 10 years her junior, but the two have grown close over the last year. Andreeva is a frequent contributor to Kasatkina and Zabiiako’s YouTube series, “What the Vlog?”

“Mirra is an incredible girl, honestly,” Kasatkina said. “It’s incredible how in one person there is a mix of a kid and maturity at the same time. Her sense of humor and what she’s saying in native language is just a joke. Some words she’s using and stuff, she’s so funny.”

But just as Kasatkina finished praising her friend, she pivoted her thoughts to that of a protective mentor.

“She’s a very good person, and already a very good player and will be much better. For the last year I’ve been calling her ‘a piece of gold.’

“But I don’t want to say so many good things because everyone is saying this and she is so young. I wish her to just go and improve every single day because I know how it is to hear only good things every single day and then you have the expectations in the sky and it’s hard to manage.

“I hope she can go on mute and just play and that’s it. If she will just play, that will be enough.”