Daria

“I am at breaking point and sadly I am not alone.

“Add in to the mix the emotional and mental stress related to my nationality switch and there is only so much I can deal with and take as an individual woman.

“If this makes me weak, then so be it, I’m weak.

“However, I know I am strong and will get stronger by being away and recharging.

“It’s time I listened to myself for a change.”

Former top-five players Elina Svitolina and Paula Badosa ended their seasons early in recent weeks.

Ukraine’s Svitolina said she had “not been feeling like myself”, while Badosa has spoken about the mental toll of an ongoing back problem.

Other players have also spoken about the impact of the tennis calendar.

Five players retired injured in two tournaments in China last week, with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek saying the season is too long and intense.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has made it mandatory for top players to participate in each Grand Slam, 10 WTA 1000 events and six 500-level tournaments.

The majority of 1000 events on the WTA and men’s ATP Tour last two weeks, as do all four Grand Slams.

Players can skip mandatory events if they injured or have personal reasons, but they will receive no rankings points or prize money if they do not play.

Former world number one Novak Djokovic, who has slimmed down his schedule in recent years to protect his body, has called on players to be more united, external in forcing change.

Momentum swung back and forth in the opening set between Watson and Saville, with the Briton rallying to a 4-2 lead after initially going a break down, only for Saville to level up.

Watson battled back from 40-0 down on serve to move within one game from the opening set, but she was unable to take her first set point.

A tie-break was confirmed by another exchange of breaks – but not before Watson initially refused to continue the match after being given a second time violation by the chair umpire.

She claimed she had been waiting for a ball to be returned to her, rather than deliberately delaying the point, but the umpire disagreed.

Saville ultimately stepped in and asked the umpire to give Watson her first serve back.

The Australian former world number 20 then dominated the tie-break and carried that momentum into the second set, quickly establishing a 3-0 lead.

Watson briefly threatened a comeback when she broke back for 3-2, but Saville was able to reset and closed out victory with another three-game streak.