Paula Badosa, the ninth seed at the Mutua Madrid Open, has withdrawn from the tournament ahead of her second-round match on Friday. The Spanish player cited a persistent lower back problem as the reason for her departure.
Following Badosa`s withdrawal, her position in the main draw will be taken by fellow Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, who enters the event as a lucky loser. Bucsa is scheduled to play Veronika Kudermetova.
This development was not entirely unexpected, as Badosa had admitted prior to the tournament that she was not at peak physical condition. During her media appearances before the event, the state of her back – an injury that has troubled her for approximately two years – was a frequent topic of inquiry.
She had previously commented on her situation, stating, “My back is good, slowly getting better.” Badosa described the injury as particularly challenging: “It’s been a tough injury, honestly, this one because it was totally different from the last one. It was an injury that was touching the nerves, so I was constantly having pain.” She added that the pain severely impacted her daily life, making it difficult to even move from the couch.
Three years ago, Badosa reached her career-high ranking of World No. 2. However, a back injury in 2023 caused her to miss the final five months of that season. The article suggests her form began to improve in 2024, mentioning previous results such as winning the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open, reaching semifinals in Cincinnati and Beijing, and a quarterfinal at the US Open. She finished the season close to the Top 10 and regained her spot among the elite players with a semifinal run at the Australian Open this year.
Nonetheless, the period since the Australian Open has proven challenging. Badosa retired from her second match in Merida, Mexico, missed the tournament in Indian Wells, and gave a walkover in the Round of 16 in Miami, all due to her back.
Just weeks ago, Badosa reported experiencing significant discomfort even when resting. However, she expressed optimism about her recovery. She mentioned that she felt fortunate that the treatments, including injections she received, appeared to be working. “So, slowly getting back there, yeah,” she remarked.
When asked about her current physical readiness, whether she felt 50% or 75% fit, Badosa was uncertain. “I don’t know,” she replied. She stated, “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.”
