Will Badosa bounce back or bow out? Unveiling the stakes of her injury

Following her loss to good friend Aryna Sabalenka at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, tennis star Paula Badosa could suffer a significant rankings drop as she struggles to regain her form.

Badosa was forced to retire in the third set against Sabalenka during their round of 16 encounter. With the match tied at one set apiece, the Spaniard suffered an injury that saw Sabalenka escape with a 7-6(4) 4-6 3-3 walkover victory. Badosa appeared devastated by the injury and outcome, tearfully embracing Sabalenka at the net before leaving the court in tears.

Although the full nature of her injury is unknown, Badosa could face extended time on the sidelines. After back issues derailed her 2023 season, the Spaniard appeared to be fit enough to resume competition on the WTA tour this season. However, it appears she may be looking at another long layoff.

Badosa currently sits at World No.93 on the WTA ranking table. However, she is projected to drop to No.99 next week. Furthermore, the former World No.2 could be out of the top 100 should she be forced to miss an extended period of time. The former Indian Wells champion has fourth round and quarterfinal points to defend at the upcoming events in Madrid and Rome respectively, a difficult task given her current form and injury status.