The Contrast between Garbiñe Muguruza and Paula Badosa
In a period of just a few days, a marked contrast could be observed between two outstanding figures of Spanish women’s tennis. While Garbiñe Muguruza radiated joy and happiness at the Laureus awards gala, Paula Badosa, her partner in fatigue, experienced frustration after falling again in the first round of a tournament, this time in her home tournament, Madrid.
The Catalan tennis player has faced more than a year of difficulties due to chronic back pain, caused by a stress fracture in the fourth lumbar vertebra during the Rome Masters 1,000. With only 27 games played in 2023 and a similar performance in 2024, her career has been significantly affected.
Paula Badosa’s Challenge
Paula Badosa, who at the time occupied second place in the world ranking and became Indian Wells champion, has experienced a drop in her ranking, leaving the top-100 on the circuit. With only 15 matches played this season, her performance has been challenging, with nine losses and a third round at the Australian Open as her best result.
To mitigate the intense pain he has faced, Badosa has resorted to treatment with cortisone injections. Despite receiving advice from doctors that continuing her race would be complicated, she strives to recover emotionally and physically, stating that if she can compete, she already considers herself to have won.
The Dilemma of ‘Falling out of love’ with Tennis
Badosa’s prolonged suffering has raised the crucial question: is this process leading her to ‘fall out of love’ with tennis? Despite her love for the sport and her passion for competing, the tennis player recognizes the emotional difficulties she has faced as she watches her performance and ranking decline. Although she aspires to play for three or four more years, uncertainty surrounds her future in tennis.
In her own words, Badosa describes her ongoing struggle with the injury as ‘very complicated, chronic, difficult’, but she is determined to do everything she can to prolong her career, even if it means undergoing pain-relieving treatments.
