ANALYSIS: Paula Badosa injured again but what now? The points she has to defend for the rest of the year

Paula Badosa has suffered another setback. She withdrew from the Miami Open due to ongoing back pain. The Spaniard pulled out before her match against 19-year-old Alexandra Eala. As a result, the Filipina advances to the quarterfinals, where she will face world No. 1 Iga Świątek.

Badosa had been in great form recently, showing that when healthy, she is one of the top players on tour. However, her back issues returned at the WTA 500 event in Mérida. She retired mid-match against Daria Saville, despite winning the first set and being a strong contender for the title.

To recover, Badosa skipped Indian Wells and prepared for Miami. She started well, beating rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko in a tough second-round match. But in her third-round win against Clara Tauson, she felt the familiar pain again. Even though she won in straight sets, she decided to withdraw from the tournament.

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A Key Moment in the Season

As the season moves forward, Badosa faces an important challenge. She has ranking points to defend, but the pressure is not too high. She had already skipped the Paris Olympics to focus on the North American hard-court swing, a decision that worked in her favor.

Her clay season in 2024 was not her best. She lost early in Charleston and Madrid but reached the second round in Stuttgart and the Round of 16 in Rome. A third-round finish at Roland Garros earned her 321 points. Starting the season outside the top 100, she had to play extra matches to qualify for main draws.

She performed much better on grass. Badosa reached the quarterfinals in Bad Homburg and the fourth round at Wimbledon, gaining 348 points from just two events. But it was on hard courts where she truly found success.

She won the WTA 500 title at the DC Open and made the semifinals in Cincinnati, China, and Ningbo. Her quarterfinal run at the US Open helped her return to the Top 10. Now, she is close to rejoining the elite but must defend key ranking points to stay there. Any drop in form could hurt her ranking.

With big tournaments ahead, Badosa’s main goal is to get healthy. The road is uncertain, but if she stays fit, she has proven she belongs among the world’s best.

This piece is translated to English with the original being written by TenisAldia.ES.

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