A few days ago, I brought to your attention that as many as three WTA players—Beatriz Haddad Maia, Laura Siegemund and Lulu Sun—had announced breaks from competition. That’s when a reader pointed out that Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan had also recently announced an indefinite break from the sport, saying that she can no longer keep forcing things and that she desperately needs time to recover.
The former world No. 58, currently ranked No. 172, Juvan explained that she has been dealing with stomach issues since March, which have prevented her from training and competing at the highest level. “I’ve tried to rest and then come back to competition a few times this year, but the pain, nausea and fatigue made it difficult for me to perform or even function normally,” the 25-year-old gave more insight into her condition.
She last competed during the grass-court season in June, losing in the first round of qualifying at the Lexus Nottingham Open. Juvan was determined to play Wimbledon, but her condition worsened just before the tournament and her body “just collapsed.”
To this day, she has been unable to resolve the issues and get her body back to the level required to withstand the demands of professional competition. As heartbreaking as it is to be forced to step away, Juvan has decided that the best course of action is to take a few months off and give her body the time it needs to recover.
