"Honestly I am not confident": Paula Badosa admits to struggling mentally amid injury hell after Halep win at Miami Open
WTA
Paula Badosa has majorly struggled in the past 12 months in particular with a stress fracture in her back which has really derailed her momentum. She faced Simona Halep on her tennis return after her doping ban. But despite going 6-1 down, she rallied to win two sets in a row at the Miami Open.
Badosa was asked if she was left shocked by both of their levels with the Spaniard not playing much and the former World No.1 who she faced not playing at all for nearly two years. She also admitted that she has struggled mentally amid the back injury and that she has not been very confident going into matches as a result with retirements and walkovers more apparent as of late.
"Honestly yes as we haven't played much, also the day wasn't easy. It was very windy. But I think we played pretty good. Especially at the end, it was a big battle but I'm really happy I got the win as Simona she's a tough one and especially mentally. I played her a few times and I struggled a lot so for me it was a big win," said Badosa on Tennis Channel.
"I was really suffering in the first set. I tried to stay very positive. It is not easy as honestly I am not confident. I haven't played much, this injury has been very tough for me. Coming out now hopefully I can play a lot of matches and get that Paula again. That mentally strong Paula. Hopefully that happens soon and I can get back to my level. But I know it's going to be a tough one so I will have to fight."
Asked about her injury, she said that it is not perfect yet, but it is getting there. Next up is her best friend, Aryna Sabalenka who has decided to play on at the Miami Open despite the passing of her boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov suddenly last night. Of course the Spaniard with it being on Tennis Channel was not asked about that, but was glad to now have a day off to recoup.
"My back is ok. I'm taking care of it 24/7. But especially now it's other parts of the body. I finished pretty tired. But I will now have a day off that's a good thing. I will recover and look forward to the next one."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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