Paula Badosa ‘having endless nightmares’ as star hits back in heartbreaking statement | Tennis | Sport
Paula Badosa hit back after being told she was “disrespectful to the game” following her latest mid-match retirement in Dubai. The former world No. 2 has been plagued by injuries in recent years and was forced to call it quits while facing Elina Svitolina on Tuesday. The Spanish star led 4-1 early on but dropped five games in a row to lose the opening set. After calling the physio, Badosa officially retired, citing a right thigh injury.
The world No. 70 was later branded “disrespectful” by a social media user, who added: “You just cannot retire/withdraw from every tournament.” And Badosa fired back, revealing that she was “having endless nightmares” as she shared the heartbreaking details of her constant injury issues.
“You have no idea what it’s like to live with a chronic injury and still choose to keep going. To wake up everyday not knowing how your body will respond, searching for solutions, and fighting for something you love and give everything even when it’s so difficult, Badosa wrote.
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“Trust me I’m the first one suffering with pain and having endless nightmares to try to find solutions every single day and for me after all stepping on a tennis court, makes worth everything every time. So I’ll keep trying. Because it’s all about trying and that won’t change. I’ll always try one more time.
“I’m doing this for my passion and for myself. And if there’s even a 1% chance to keep going, I’ll take it. That’s just how I see and understand life. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to follow me. And I’m so sorry to inform you I won’t retire so you’ll keep seeing me for a while. Change channel next time.
“So for me the only disrespect here is to open this social media and read messages like this. Then we complain if we see players or people suffering and having mental health issues, but after all I’m not surprise with the amount of hate and “experts” we have here. But anyways I want to thank the people who always supports me no matter what. Thank you for being with me in this journey and sorry for giving you this tough times. Hopefully sun will shine soon.”
Badosa’s biggest hurdle has been a chronic back injury that has plagued her since 2023, when she cut her season short to recover. In 2024, she resorted to using cortisone injections to manage the pain and even contemplated retirement.
The Spanish star’s comeback finally gained momentum in the second half of 2024 – she lifted the title in Washington, reached the US Open quarter-finals, and made back-to-back WTA 1000 semi-finals. Badosa then re-entered the top 10 in early 2025. But the back issue came back to haunt her – she was forced to retire in Merida and withdrew from the Miami Open ahead of the fourth round, taking a two-month injury break.
