Not so long ago, former world No 2 Paula Badosa was on the verge of retiring from professional tennis due to a serious back injury.
Also not so long ago, Badosa defeated world No 3 Coco Gauff to reach the first Grand Slam semi-final of her career.
The difference between those two points in time is eight months.
Badosa sustained a stress fracture in her back at the Italian Open in May 2023, and skipped the entire second half of that season, sidelined for five months post-Wimbledon.
The Spaniard returned to action in 2024 but her back was still bothering her and not responding well to treatment. She was taking cortisone shots just to get on court and was told by some doctors that continuing her career would be “complicated”.
By the time her home tournament in Madrid came around at the end of April, she felt like she was out of solutions.
“It was really tough. For me, some days I think about it, I just like to go back with my thoughts and moments and thinking about it … it’s tough for me even to think about it because it was very painful.
"I was close, I was close to retirement,” Badosa told The National at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, where she is seeded No 2 and will be facing Linda Noskova in the second round on Wednesday.
With a deep desire to give it one more shot, coupled with encouragement from her coach Pol Toledo, and changes she made to her team of fitness trainers and doctors, Badosa found a way to keep going and by August, she was back in the winners’ circle for the first time in two and half years, clinching the title in Washington DC.
After dropping to as low as 140 in the world last May, Badosa is now back in the top 10 and coming off a maiden Grand Slam semi-final appearance at the Australian Open two weeks ago.
“What kept me going is that I always had that faith in myself of keep believing, like just give it one more try, one more try. And I think also what kept me going was the passion I have for tennis. I love it,” she said.
“So that was like, okay, just give your 100 per cent until the end of the year, let’s see if that’s possible also because of the back. But if it’s possible, give your 100 per cent until the end of the year, let’s see where you’re at in that moment and then you take a decision.
“After Madrid was really tough, but I remember making a few changes in my team and mentally I think I’m that kind of personality or character that when I have tough moments, I bring the best out of me, and it’s when I have more strength.
“In Madrid. I was honestly a disaster, I didn’t want to go out of the room. So for me, going through that phase in my career and then doing what I did after a few months, I’m incredibly proud of myself.”
Badosa arrives in Abu Dhabi having won 30 of her last 39 matches and is ranked No 10 in the world, her highest position since October 2022.
When she peaked at No 2 nearly three years ago, the pressure was unlike anything she’d ever imagined.
“It's totally different [compared to how I feel now]. In that moment it was very extreme for me, because I went from nobody, let’s say, 70 in the world, and in less than a year I was two.
"for me it was, wow, all of a sudden everyone knows me, I’m a big target, a lot of expectations that I wasn’t used to,” she reflected.
“You can have expectations as a junior but it’s not the same. It’s like the real life when you’re professional.
“So for me right now it’s totally different. I’ve been through so many things, so many pressure moments, expectations, not winning matches, losing unexpected matches, winning other ones where I maybe was the dark horse.
"So I’ve been through everything in my career and when you’ve been through everything, I think things scare you less. And that’s a little bit the difference now, that I’m not scared.
“Of course, I want to win every match. But if I lose, I’m going to be upset, I’m going to be disappointed – something I’m trying to learn, to learn how to lose – but still it’s not going to be scary.”
Prior to her Australian Open run last month, Badosa had reached the fourth round or quarter-finals on seven previous occasions at the Grand Slams to no avail.
Making it to the final four was a long time coming for the 27-year-old and she is most pleased with how she handled the expectations in Melbourne, given her strong form coming in.
She lost to world No 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals but walked away believing she has what it takes to go all the way at the majors.
“When you see that kind of level, of course that day I was far away, I lost in straight sets,” she said of her loss to Sabalenka.
“But generally, I think I’m getting there, I’m there. But when the No 1 player plays like a No 1, it’s tough to find solutions. So that day for me was credit to her.
"Hopefully next time she doesn’t play that perfect. But I think I’m getting there and all the phases of like tennis-wise, physical-wise, mental-wise, every day I’m closer to that level.”
The player that ended up unlocking that Grand Slam puzzle in Melbourne was Madison Keys, who beat the world’s top two, Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, back-to-back to lift her maiden major trophy, at the age of 29.
“It was incredible. Her level was very high the entire week, I was watching matches. When she plays like this, she’s very tough to beat,” said Badosa of the American.
“I always said that she’s a very talented player. So for me, seeing win a Slam when she’s 30, it’s amazing. Because it makes you believe that anything can happen.
“You don’t have to be seeded No 3, 2, or 1, to win a Slam. You can be outside of the top 10 and win against anybody when you have the talent and the puzzle is connected, when you’re connected in that moment.
"And I think she was connected, she was in that flow state and everything came to her and it’s really nice. Because I think for other players also it’s inspiring.”
Looking ahead, Badosa believes one of the biggest challenges she will face is balancing her high ambition with the need to be patient and relaxed about her results.
“That’s the tricky part. That’s a challenge now that I have, myself, but also my team, to continue to have all these ambitions – because I’m very ambitious, but to also be like, hey, calm, don’t put so much pressure on yourself,” she said.
“Because I’m a person who always wants more, it’s never enough. So I think that’s the balance we’re trying to find, to enjoy the little things day by day.
"And when I start to do that properly, it’s when my tennis and my level comes. And the matches, I start winning without thinking.
“So it’s a little bit what we want to achieve and that’s my goal for the next weeks.
"And of course, adding some things, trying to improve the little things that I’ve seen in Australia that maybe I’ll need if I want to beat players like Aryna or Iga or Coco and all those top players. I always say try to enjoy the journey as much as I can.”
