MADRID – Citing a persistent lower back injury, Paula Badosa, the ninth seed at the Mutua Madrid Open, has pulled out of her scheduled second-round match on Friday.
The Spanish favorite`s position in the tournament`s main draw was subsequently filled by fellow Spanish player Cristina Bucsa, who entered as a lucky loser and was set to play Veronika Kudermetova.
This withdrawal was not entirely unexpected, as Badosa had indicated before the event began that she was not at peak fitness. Despite attending her media sessions with reporters and camera crews, the recurring question was about the condition of her back, an injury that has troubled her for nearly two years.
Speaking about her condition, she stated her back was “good, slowly getting better,” describing it as a “tough injury.” She elaborated that this particular issue was different from previous ones, affecting nerves and causing constant pain. Badosa admitted that her “normal life was a disaster, honestly — I couldn’t even move from the couch.”
Three years ago, Badosa reached her career-best ranking of World No. 2. However, in 2023, a back injury forced her off the tour for the final five months of the season. Her game has reportedly shown signs of recovery in 2024, with the text citing results such as winning the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open, reaching semifinals in Cincinnati and Beijing, and a quarterfinal at the US Open as part of her comeback progress.
She concluded one recent season just outside the Top 10, and reaching the semifinals at this year`s Australian Open helped her return to the elite group. Nevertheless, she has faced difficulties since then, retiring from her second match in Merida, Mexico, skipping Indian Wells, and giving a walkover in the Miami Round of 16 due to the ongoing back issue.
Badosa mentioned that intense pain was present even in a stationary position just a few weeks prior.
However, she felt fortunate that the treatments, including injections she received, “have worked,” adding that she is “slowly getting back there.”
When asked if she was currently at 50 or 75 percent fitness, Badosa replied, “I don’t know.” She added, “Slowly, step by step, every day I’m feeling a bit better. Hopefully I will be my 100 percent soon. Not right now, but soon.”
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth