Kaja Juvan, sad announcement on Instagram

Kaja Juvan’s words

Kaja Juvan, world number 123, announced in a long post on Instagram the reason that prompted her to take a break from tennis: “My father died of cancer last December. Since then, I’ve had the worst months of my vit. Most days I feel exhausted, overwhelmed by even just normal daily activities, and that makes it very difficult to train and play. That said, some days are better than others, but the pain and sadness are still there. Over time, however, I am learning that the pain comes from a place of love, and the painful memories are changing into memories that I am glad to have.”

“The amount and intensity of emotions experienced over the past few months have made it more difficult than usual to compete and be continuous in the game. Anyone who has seen me play knows how much I love tennis and how much I always try to fight on the court. But this has been the hardest part. My father loved tennis and seeing me play, and he really wanted me to keep going even after he died. That was one of the reasons why I kept playing tournaments when he died. Lately I’ve also been able to win matches that I’m very proud of, but I feel more and more tired.”

“I will only come back when I feel ready,” she concluded, “I want to face the future one day at a time, one week at a time. Playing is one of the things I enjoy most in life, I think I can be a very good player. But the priority has always been to have fun and above all to feel good about myself as a person.”