Paula Badosa provided a concerning update about her injury in an emotional message following her mid-match retirement at the Merida Open. The Spaniard played several tournaments on the trot this year and her chronic back injury seems to be troubling her again.
Just two months into the year, Badosa has already played at seven events. Before entering the WTA 500 event in Mexico, she had played 15 matches in Asia across six different events.
At the Merida Open, she began strongly with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Jacqueline Cristian. In the quarterfinal against Daria Saville, Badosa raced to a 6-1 first-set win but struggled in the second and eventually retired after going down 3-5.
There were concerns surrounding her back injury soon after her retirement. Taking to Instagram, she shared the reason behind her shock withdrawal.
“Hey everyone, Thanks so much for all the messages and support. I had to pull out of the match in Mérida because of lower back pain, but I’m already working on getting better. I’ll give it my all to get back on the court as soon as possible, with more energy than ever. Big hug, Paula,” she wrote.
The 27-year-old has opened up about her chronic back injury struggles on several occasions. She even contemplated retirement due to it, but turned her fortunes around and reached the WTA Top 10 again.
Paula Badosa was close to retirement due to her chronic back injury
Edited by Samya Majumdar