Paula Badosa faced another frustrating moment in her career when she retired during the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships due to a leg injury. The match against Ukraine’s seventh seed Elina Svitolina started well for Badosa as she took an early 4-1 lead, but she soon required medical attention, and Svitolina bounced back to win the first set. Shortly after, Badosa decided to retire, informing the chair umpire before retreating to the locker rooms. This incident added to Badosa’s ongoing injury struggles and sparked criticism from some fans on social media.
Social Media Reaction and Badosa’s Firm Response
One commentator on X accused Badosa of showing a lack of respect for tennis by frequently withdrawing from tournaments, stating,
“Paula Badosa is so disrespectful to the game, you just cannot retire/withdraw from every tournament.”
This criticism referred to Badosa’s long history of match retirements and withdrawals, which now total 38 across all WTA Challenger and ITF events, with nine occurring since the start of 2024 alone.
However, the 28-year-old Spaniard took to the same platform to offer a detailed, heartfelt reply. She explained the mental and physical toll of managing a chronic injury, emphasizing her dedication to the sport despite the pain and uncertainty. Badosa wrote,
“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.”
She continued,
“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.”
Badosa made it clear that her motivation stems from passion and resilience.
“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.
?Paula Badosa, Professional Tennis Player
Background on Career Challenges and Recent Achievements
Paula Badosa’s struggles with injuries have been longstanding, including a severe back injury in 2023 that threatened her career and led to a dramatic drop from her previous peak as world No. 2 to No. 70 in the WTA rankings. Despite these setbacks, she staged a remarkable comeback in 2024, claiming the WTA’s Comeback Player of the Year award after finishing the season ranked No. 12. In 2025, Badosa made a brief return to the top 10, though physical issues continued to hamper her consistency on the tour.
In response to the harsh criticism, Badosa also addressed the negative atmosphere on social media, highlighting how such negativity contributes to mental health challenges within professional sports. She shared,
“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 surprised 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.
?Paula Badosa, Professional Tennis Player
Impact and Outlook for Badosa’s Future in Tennis
Paula Badosa’s ongoing battle with injuries has made maintaining a consistent presence on the WTA Tour a challenge, yet her resilience demonstrates her commitment to return stronger. Her openness regarding the difficulties of coping with chronic pain sheds light on the unseen struggles athletes endure. While occasional retirements and withdrawals will likely continue to affect her tournament participation, Badosa’s determination suggests she will persist in pursuing her career as long as her body allows.
Given her history of comebacks, fans and experts alike will be watching closely to see how she manages her health going forward and whether she can regain a steady spot among tennis’s elite. The support from her loyal followers remains a crucial element as she navigates this turbulent phase of her professional journey.
