Paula Badosa Makes ‘Endless Nightmare’ Confession While Calling Out Social Media Hate After Dubai Retirement

Former World No.2 Paula Badosa retired from a tournament for the second time this year.

Paula Badosa Makes ‘Endless Nightmare’ Confession While Calling Out Social Media Hate After Dubai Retirement

Paula Badosa (Image via X/Paula Badosa)

In Short
  • Paula Badosa retired from her match at the Dubai Tennis Championships due to injury after leading 4-1 in the first set.
  • She faced criticism on social media for her mid-match retirements, prompting her to defend her struggles with chronic injury.
  • Badosa emphasized her commitment to continue competing despite the challenges and thanked her supporters for their encouragement.

Paula Badosa was forced to retire from her round-of-32 Dubai Tennis Championships match against Elina Svitolina after the first set due to an injury. The match, held on Tuesday (February 17), saw the Spaniard take a 4-1 lead, but the Ukrainian reeled off five straight games to end the set in her favor.

After losing the set, Badosa called for the physiotherapist and deemed it best to throw in the towel. On social media, then, she received criticism from some fans, one of whom said Badosa is “disrespectful” to the game due to her frequent mid-match retirements.

Badosa noticed the tweet. She responded with a lengthy message, telling critics they don’t understand the challenges of continuing to play through a chronic injury.

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. 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.

Paula Badosa wrote

Before the Dubai mid-match retirement, Badosa withdrew from the Qatar Open, where she was set to face Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round. She has so far featured in five tournaments this year, starting her campaign for the season at the Brisbane International.

She lost to Elena Rybakina in the round of 16 in Brisbane, to Marie Bouzkova in the opening round of the Adelaide International, and to Oksana Selekhmeteva in the second round of the Australian Open.

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.

Paula Badosa wrote in another tweet

Badosa also told the fan that she won’t be retiring anytime soon and urged them to change the channel if they have any problem with her. She also thanked those who continue to support her, no matter the situation, in another tweet.

Elina Svitolina makes honest assessment of Paula Badosa’s level after the match

Paula Badosa‘s walkover helped Elina Svitolina improve her head-to-head record to 3-0. Svitolina, who reached her career’s first Australian Open semifinal this year, will next be locking horns with Belinda Bencic.

Elina Svitolina (2)
Elina Svitolina (Image via X/WTA)

I was expecting Paula to play well. I was very sad that we couldn’t continue after the first set, but I think the level was pretty high. She was striking the ball really well. In the end, I found my game.

Elina Svitolina said at the press conference

Bencic, the ninth seed, received a walkover from Sara Bejlek before scheduling the match against the seventh seed. Both moms returned to the top 10 earlier this year.

Svitolina has faced the Swiss ace five times, with the latter winning their first two matches. The 31-year-old clinched the win in their last three meetings, their last clash being the round of 64 of last year’s Miami Open.

Both Svitolina and Bencic are former Dubai champions. Bencic beat Petra Kvitova in 2019, while Svitolina won it twice: in 2017 against Caroline Wozniacki and defended the crown the following year against Daria Kasatkina.

Also read: Carlos Alcaraz Reacts to Potential Clash with Jannik Sinner in the Final of the Qatar Open