World champions sometimes need a pause - Source, World Figure Skating
Grand Prix series this season showed how tense was the previous Olympic season. The skaters, who took top places in Vancouver have experienced a really strong physical and emotional burden.
Many of them paused in their performances at the events. And I think it is correct.
Continuing to work at the limit of strength you can burn out. In this regard, a very remarkable example of that are the Grand Prix performances of the World Champion Mao Asada. This Grand Prix season can hardly be called successful for her. Her skating very clearly shows that she has not yet come into its normal shape after the Olympics and the World Championships. And perhaps she should have to take a break and did not compete in this season's Grand Prix. I don’t think that for her these events are very important.
This magnificent skater just need time to recover. World Champions are also people who sometimes need to pause, after which they will again show their best performances.