The rebirth of Kaja Juvan: "I came to think that you had to be unhappy to be successful"

Fernando Murciego | 14 Dec 2025 | 12.00

Kaja Juvan and her story of overcoming tragedy. Source: Getty

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Kaja Juvan will never be the most popular player in the locker room, but after hearing her story, I assure you that you will never forget her. It's about how the Slovenian had to step away from the circuit at 23 due to serious psychological issues.

Fortunately, today all news related to Kaja Juvan is positive. Her 2025 season translates to a record of 52-20, three titles, and a rise of 500 positions in the rankings. Despite finishing the season at #102, she only confirmed her presence in the Australian Open final draw at the last minute, an official objective she has already secured. After a year away from the circuit, today she can celebrate that her comeback was not in vain. In fact, considering where she started, it would be difficult to sign up for a better calendar.

But what happened to Kaja Juvan? Why didn't she compete in all of 2024? Beyond the emotional ups and downs she always had, life hit her hard after her father's passing at the end of 2022. She decided to keep fighting, taking refuge in competition, the path her coaches marked for her. However, there came a point where she understood that her body needed respite, no more battles. It was there that she discovered how much she had neglected her mental health, along with some delayed side effects.

article prepared by the WTA. "There came a moment where I couldn't separate my brain from my body. That's what happens when our entire nervous system is controlled by the brain; that's why many injuries stem from there," acknowledges the woman who later, after attempting to continue competing, began to experience dizziness, headaches, and even the loss of certain functions in her right hand. Faced with something so terrifying, it was normal to go to a psychiatrist.

I even started to think that you have to be unhappy to be successful," Juvan recalls with some disgust about the moment when she reached her highest level of confusion.

Perhaps from these types of conversations arises one of the great evils within the tennis circuit and, why not say it, within society as a whole. "As we grow up, we always hear the same thing: 'Women's tennis is worse compared to men's.' We know all those things. If you are in the top 100 in women's, you usually hear: 'Oh, but she's not that good.' In men, however, it's as if you're a God. Maybe that's why our self-esteem is a bit more unstable, hence why some coaches can take advantage of that," she bluntly points out.

The shift in thinking that saved Kaja Juvan

There were many barriers that the 25-year-old player encountered, when you add family crisis, her coach's delusions, and the inherent difficulty of this sport. She had to descend into hell, learn from her mistakes, take care of her close circle, and find a new perspective that helped her heal wounds and return stronger. It's impossible to evolve without first making a mistake, although sometimes others push you to fail.

"Basically, what happened to me is that I was in panic mode all the time. What was once a challenge turned into something terrifying. I was never prone to genetic depression or anxiety, but for almost 12 months, I woke up without controlling my nervous system. Every day, I was more anxious but kept telling myself that I had to push, forcing myself out of my comfort zone, getting accustomed to being stressed all the time. Then I understood that what I really needed was to reprogram my nervous system," concludes the current #102 in the rankings.

And that's where her rebirth began, flowing throughout a long 2025 that has brought back her smile. "I didn't know that the brain relaxes more when you have fun. If you feel fear, on the other hand, your system will tense up, which is quite logical, but I never thought of it that way. For me, it was very important to have the support of my sponsors at all times; both were with me throughout my recovery process. In the end, it all comes down to the relationships you have with people. After this whole process, I think if I've learned anything, it's that things always progress step by step," concludes this version 2.0 of Kaja Juvan.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El renacer de Kaja Juvan: “Llegué a pensar que había que ser infeliz para tener éxito"