Paula Badosa, one of the biggest stars on the WTA Tour, is set to return to on-court action after a disappointing start to the 2026 season. She suffered multiple early exits and had to withdraw from multiple tournaments due to her chronic back issue, taking away all of her momentum.
In a recent interview, the Spaniard talked about how often she considers putting her racket down, revealing what keeps her going despite her problems.
How Paula Badosa Keeps Going Despite Regular Retirement Thoughts
Badosa was one of the top stars early in the 2020s after winning the 2021 Indian Wells Open and reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in 2022 following strong results at major tournaments. However, the very next year, in 2023, the Spaniard suffered an unfortunate stress fracture in her L4 vertebra, forcing her to end her season early after Wimbledon. She participated in only 10 WTA tournaments and missed all other majors.
These back issues persisted, hampering her results, but a late surge in form in 2024 took her to the Washington, D.C., title before Badosa’s problems worsened. At the 2025 Merida Open quarterfinal, she retired mid-match against Daria Saville due to a hip injury and withdrew from Indian Wells, Madrid, and the Italian Open.
After a first-round exit at Wimbledon in 2025, Badosa took a long break away from the tennis courts, returning only for the China Open in September before ending her season.
In a recent interview before the Charleston Open, she talked about how often she thinks about putting down her racket.
“Every day, I’m thinking about it, but then there’s something that’s even stronger and more powerful: That I still have faith, and I still believe in myself,” Badosa said.
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Showing her love for tennis, Badosa added, “I have it deep down, and I love the sport too much. I have so much passion for the sport, and I notice it every time I step on a court to compete.”
The Spaniard made it clear that her passion for tennis is her driving factor and concluded by saying, “I get goosebumps, no matter where I play. I just love those moments.”
Reviewing Paula Badosa’s 2026 Season
After ending her season early, Badosa set foot on court for the first time at the Brisbane International, where she defeated Marie Bouzková in the second round before losing to Elena Rybakina. The Spaniard teamed up with Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s doubles tournament, where the duo lost their second match, ending their campaign.
At the Adelaide International, Badosa was defeated by qualifier Bouzková in her very first match before she arrived in Melbourne. There, she secured a first-round win against Zarina Diyas before losing to Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva. The former World No. 2 then faced a first-round exit in Abu Dhabi against Aliaksandra Sasnovich before withdrawing from the Qatar Open due to ongoing hip issues.
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Badosa then retired mid-match from the Dubai Tennis Championships’ second round against Elina Svitolina after losing the first set 4-6. She lost her first match against Yulia Putintseva at Indian Wells before heading to Austin for the WTA 125 event, where she faced a semifinal exit against Bianca Andreescu.
Badosa was then eliminated from the Miami Open by Iva Jovic in the second round and is now set to compete at the Charleston Open, where she reached the semifinals in 2021. Badosa will face American Kayla Day in the first match on March 31 and will look to regain her championship form to kick off the clay season.
