It all unfolded in a blur for Paula Badosa, whose meteoric rise carried her from No. 80 to No. 2 in just one year. But that surge came at a brutal cost, as chronic pain and a persistent back injury requiring cortisone injections dragged her outside the Top 100. Now, as the Credit One Charleston Open begins, she faces another battle: a torn labrum in her right hip, bringing daily pain.

Speaking during her Media Day interview at the Credit One Charleston Open, Paula Badosa opened up about her ongoing struggles. She made it clear that much of her pain remains unseen by the public. “People don’t know,” she said. She then explained the confusion around her injury situation.

“A lot of people have been asking me about the back and that’s something I’m trying to figure out, but it’s at least under control. It’s not that now. Last year, starting in February and especially after Wimbledon, it was my psoas touching the tendon. But then I broke my labrum. It’s all very connected, but it’s tough to compete like this.”

Badosa has dealt with chronic pain for a long time. Despite that, she fought her way back up the rankings.

Her comeback peaked with a strong run at the 2025 Australian Open. She reached the semifinals, showing her top-level form again. “I was maybe at my best level after Australia,” said Badosa. She admitted the latest injury caught her off guard.

“Then all of a sudden, I saw myself on the couch again for the second time.” The pain began in her right psoas muscle. She first felt discomfort in February. This came shortly after she returned to No. 9 in the rankings.

The injury worsened around Wimbledon last year. It eventually led to a full labrum tear. The 28-year-old has decided against surgery for now. Instead, she is managing the pain with injections.

She showed glimpses of her old form recently. She reached the semifinals of a WTA 125K event in Austin earlier this month.

However, her situation remains uncertain. She admitted that every day feels different physically and mentally. “Some days I wake up, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I have to compete today? How am I going to do it?’ There’s so many things in my brain sometimes that I’m not even thinking about the match. It’s stressful for me.”

To cope, Badosa relies on daily routines. She practices meditation and journaling to manage stress. She also depends heavily on her team. Her coach, Pol Toledo, plays a key role in her support system.

Toledo has been with her since the early days. He helped guide her comeback in 2024 after a difficult period. “We’ve been through a lot,” said Badosa. She reflected on their journey together.

“He didn’t know much about women’s sports because he was playing himself, and he just retired. I saw how passionate he was and how much he wanted to learn about it, and how much he cares about me.”

Badosa enters Charleston with a 7-8 record this season. Her results reflect the challenges she continues to face. The question of retirement still lingers in the background. However, she remains determined to keep going.

Paula Badosa cites mental struggles behind her recent dip in form

Paula Badosa is going through a difficult phase on the WTA Tour. Despite this, she is not showing any signs of quitting and continues to search for form. She is currently ranked World No. 112. Her drop in rankings reflects her recent struggles on the tour.

Badosa has long been an advocate for mental health awareness. She often speaks openly about the challenges athletes face. After falling outside the Top 100, she shared an emotional message on social media. It revealed her internal struggles.

“I think we all have two voices in our head,” Badosa mused last Monday. “Sometimes you can control the negative a bit better, and then there’s other times or moments in your life where you cannot. I think I’m in a bit of the latter situation.”

Later, she also spoke about her situation in an interview with El Larguero. There, she suggested her current problems are more mental than physical.

“I have a lot of respect for my rivals, but I think I’m fighting more with myself, for internal things. Fears, thoughts like ‘What if I don’t achieve this?’ or ‘What if I never get back to where I wanted to be?’ or ‘What if I get injured again?’”

These thoughts have been affecting her during matches. She admitted they are difficult to control.

“There are many thoughts going through my mind, even during competition, when they shouldn’t be there. It’s complicated. Right now, the negative voice is winning more often than I’d like. It’s a constant battle between those two internal voices. I’m working on it daily with specialists and with my team, but a lot depends on me.”

After her exit from the Miami Open, Badosa now prepares for the Credit One Charleston Open. This tournament could offer her a strong chance to rebuild confidence. Several top players have withdrawn from the Charleston Open. These include Amanda Anisimova and Emma Navarro.

Only one Top 10 player remains in the draw. This makes the field more open than usual. Badosa is set to face Kayla Day in her first match. Day is currently ranked World No. 156.

Given the weakened field, Badosa has a real opportunity. She will aim to turn her season around and regain momentum on the WTA Tour.