Iasi Open Round-Up | Paula Badosa forced to retire as injury woes continue, Mayar Sherif wins second tour title
WTAMonday, 20 July 2026 at 11:33
Paula Badosa was on top of the world when she managed to win Bastad last week on the WTA 125 circuit and she has continued in that vein when it comes to this week in Iasi. But it seems like two tournaments in a row was a bridge too far for the Spaniard.
Badosa was forced to return on the Monday as weather played havoc with the schedule on Sunday and even saw Hamburg sweating when it came to their schedule as it has a Monday morning start.
Badosa retired against Sherif 4-6, 0-4 down in the Iasi WTA 250 final as Sherif won her 10th match in a row and a second WTA Tour title. Sherif in herself has waited four years to claim her second tournament on the main tour.
She is now back in the top 50 after a run which has seen her pick up 10 titles in WTA 125 tournaments so she very much always sits on the cusp without managing to breakthrough. But after a long wait, she has broken back through. After the rain comes the sunshine for Sherif with the 30-year-old Egyptian winning the final after dominating Badosa.
Badosa befalls to similar fate
Badosa, no doubt, will also have one eye on being ready for the US hard-court swing in a few weeks, with yet more important points in the bag, as long as the injury sustained in this retirement doesn't derail that momentum.
But she too has had a great week despite losing out in the final to Sherif by retirement albeit it is an all too familiar feeling for Badosa as she just wasn't able to push through for one more match and was forced to retire.
It was a pretty competitive set to start off albeit neither player could really hold their serve. It was 2-1 and then 4-3 with breaks all the way in between but Sherif managed to find the hold and it started to go desperately wrong for Badosa.
Badosa loses after great two weeks.
She went on to lose the set and then called an medical time out to begin the second in which Sherif was already winning 3-0. Badosa played one more game but then decided to curtail her display. She moves on now towards the US while Sherif is still very much entered into Hamburg this week.
So she now plays there, hence why the schedule perhaps would've been in jeopardy. She opens up against Simona Waltert.
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.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Hurry on back Carlos! We miss you!!Rapunzel17-07-2026
- Well done to the author of this article!! A meltdown is what Coco experienced at the US Open the year she was chirping at her box, very near to tears, double faults were in great supply and she simply could not get a handle on that match. THAT AP is a meltdown!!Rapunzel12-07-2026
- This sensible approach helped Muchova... and look where she will find herself tomorrow (Wimbledon Final). Iga's wise to escape... especially to Nature and so. The wilderness (forests, lakes, mountains) has been my "Church" and escape from The Noise since I was a kid. She'll do well in the end.
mandoist10-07-2026 - "Like if it was hotter, I probably would have won, I'm not gonna lie." Geezus...mandoist08-07-2026
- This one has totally lost the plot. She is about to cross the racism line in her hatred for Russian people. NEWSFLASH DARLING -- Russian majority of citizens (and your ex-Colleagues whom you shamed) are not who you should be aiming at. Grow up.mandoist08-07-2026
- Why do all these "experts" feel the need to publicly "tell players" what they need to do, or what they're doing wrong?? How about this -- if you're so concerned with a player's situation actually take the time to contact the team in question and talk directly to them. Yapping in public media is rarely, if ever, helpful.mandoist07-07-2026
- Gee... preferential treatment all the way to the end? STOP IT WTA & WIMPLEDON !!! This entire WILLIAMS CHARADE is 100% unfair to young upcoming players who legitimately earned a shot at a Wildcard. The whole scenario with these freebies to The Williams' is pathetic and barely within the rules (which have been bent like a pretzel to accomodate them). The lamest excuse this time is "...she is a top draw". How does that apply to Wimbledon which is sold-out in advance? Stop enabling this abhorrent "Look at me" behavior. If they want to make believe they can compete -- LET THEM PLAY QUAILIFIERS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.mandoist06-07-2026
- Is it not clear there is a mental issue here? I mean, her judgement is very suspect given her personal life 'experiences'.mandoist06-07-2026
- Are you kidding me with this soft "article"??? WTF?? Djerkovic should be DISQUALIFIED just as anyone else at WimPledon would have been for his behavior!! So what you should be writing about is how the stuffed shirts on Wimpledon's executive board and ATP can no longer hide, nor lie about, their FAVORITISM. We now have seen (and heard) that, as in politics and world of CEO's, "who" you are can afford Elitists the luxury of escaping the usual penalties according to their own bona fide rules/reg's. Not totally surprising coming from organizations which perform special rule-breaking stunts as giving the undeserving, unranked Williams' some young upcoming player's Wildcards. Neither Williams earned these WC's... let them enter via Qualifiers like anyone else!!!mandoist06-07-2026
- Real fans of the sport, that's who.mandoist06-07-2026
Loading