Paula Badosa has now entered her favorite part of the calendar, but things aren’t how they used to be. She is surrounded by more doubts than answers, but one thing remains the same: her love for tennis. And saying goodbye to it? Not anytime soon!

Injuries have unfortunately been a big part of her career. The former World No. 2 has been suffering from persistent back problems since 2023, and this has massively affected her performance. The 28-year-old has torn the labrum in her right hip heading into the 2026 Charleston Open. And this is yet another tournament in which she will be playing without being fully fit. While many would have decided to quit due to such regular fitness issues, Badosa is not ready to give up just yet.

“Of course, there will always be people who doubt you when times get tough, when things don’t go as planned, or when expectations aren’t met. I know that, I’ve always been very aware of it, but what hurts me the most is when I’m the one who doubts myself. That’s where I am now, doubting absolutely everything, both my body and my tennis,” Badosa told Punto de Break.

Badosa also opened up about her retirement.

“I think about it every day… but, right at that moment, something even stronger and more powerful appears: I still have faith, I still believe in myself. I know deep down I do. I love this sport so much, I have so much passion for tennis that I feel it every time I step onto a court to compete. I get goosebumps no matter where I play; I simply love experiencing those moments,” she added.

Her status rose considerably after winning the 2021 Indian Wells Open and reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in 2022 following strong results at major tournaments. However, in 2023, she suffered a stress fracture in her L4 vertebra, bringing her season to an early end after Wimbledon. She participated in only 10 WTA tournaments and missed all other majors.

A late surge in form in 2024 took her to the title in Washington, D.C., before her problems worsened. At the 2025 Merida Open quarterfinals, she retired mid-match against Daria Saville due to a hip injury and subsequently withdrew from Indian Wells, Madrid, and the Italian Open.

Then, after a first-round exit at Wimbledon in 2025, the Spanish player took an extended break from the tour, returning only for the China Open in September before ending her season.

Despite ending last year at No. 25 in the rankings, Badosa has now fallen all the way down to No. 113. She just hasn’t been able to find her rhythm in 2026, and this has seen her get eliminated early in almost every tournament that she has played so far.

Paula Badosa’s abysmal 2026 season so far

Badosa began the year at the Brisbane International, where Elena Rybakina eliminated her in the Round of 16. What followed was a first-round elimination against Marie Bouzková at the Adelaide International. A second-round exit to Oksana Selekhmeteva in the Australian Open was an absolute shocker, but Badosa’s form and back problems got even worse as the season progressed.

A first-round elimination in Abu Dhabi and a mid-match withdrawal in the second round of the Dubai Open saw her ranking plummet to the 106th position. This was the first time since 2019 that Badosa’s ranking had dropped to triple figures. A first-round exit at Indian Wells proved to be another major hit to morale before she decided to participate in the WTA 125 tournament at Austin to improve her dismal form.

The organizers granted Badosa a wild-card entry despite her initial lack of registration. She did manage to make it to the latter stages this time around, but was eventually knocked out in the semifinals by Canada’s Bianca Andreescu.

While this run may have helped Badosa gain back some of her confidence, she failed to showcase the same kind of performance at the Miami Open. She got knocked out in the opening round by 18-year-old Iva Jovic. It proved to be a completely one-sided affair as the latter prevailed 6-2, 6-1.

Badosa will now be in action at the Charleston Open. Though the Spaniard may not be fully fit due to an injury in her right hip, a vastly experienced player like her cannot be taken lightly.

Will Badosa be able to make a deep run in the Charleston Open, or will her form continue to worsen? Let us know your opinion in the comments!