Lately, Stefanos Tsitsipas has made headlines more for his personal drama than his tennis prowess. His rocky relationships with his father and ex Paula Badosa have been laid bare, and his mother, Yulia Salnikova, didn’t hold back in a recent interview, calling some of it a “burden.” However, the plot now thickens as Badosa’s coach, Pol Toledo, fires back, calling Salnikova’s remark a fragile ego and igniting a fierce clash over Tsitsipas’ private life.

“He has always had a hard time accepting that Badosa shone brighter than him in the relationship, Toledo said, speaking to Spanish outlet El País. “Paula has had to put up with certain things,” he added, hinting at the emotional strain she endured while navigating the high-profile romance.

Toledo further suggested that Tsitsipas’ chaotic family environment contributed to Badosa’s ongoing physical setbacks. “She needs stability in every sense, but when things are difficult in your environment, you run a greater risk of experiencing ups and downs. That took its toll on her physically,” he explained.

The situation escalated after Salnikova recently spoke out against the relationship, suggesting that Badosa’s influence directly derailed her son’s career. “They were a good couple, but for him, it became a burden. He was trying too hard,” Salnikova claimed.

“The constant photos, social media, and all the media attention gradually started affecting him. Even though he said he liked it, inside it kept building up,” she added, painting a picture of mounting pressure on the Greek star.

To be honest, the current tensions have only deepened the sourness between the two families. The public debate surrounding the breakup has made the entire saga even messier and more complicated.

Badosa and Tsitsipas began their highly publicized romance in the spring of 2023. Their relationship was constantly in the spotlight as they shared social media accounts and posed together for magazine shoots, making their bond impossible to ignore.

However, both players suffered notable dips in performance on the court and battled injuries during their time together, suggesting that the pressures of their romance affected their professional lives. The couple officially parted ways in the summer of 2025 following early exits at Wimbledon.

After the separation, Badosa addressed the public split directly, remarking, “It was nothing bad that happened, it’s just life.” Her calm and measured response contrasted sharply with the ongoing commentary from Tsitsipas’ camp.

Tsitsipas has since moved on, dating former collegiate tennis player-turned-model Kristen Thoms, yet his family continues to bring Badosa into the press. Toledo’s comments also echo a controversial confession Tsitsipas previously made about his romantic life: “I prefer my girlfriend not to play tennis, believe me.”

It appears he has maintained the same mindset in his new relationship with Thoms, who no longer plays competitively, showing a deliberate distance from potential professional conflict.

Meanwhile, for Badosa, the struggle on the court remains unchanged. With Toledo now speaking out on her behalf, the weight of public scrutiny continues to weigh on her professional and personal life, making her day-to-day experience even more hectic than ever.

Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas continue facing a tough season filled with struggles

On the court, Paula Badosa is going through one of the most challenging periods of her career. A prolonged spiral of injuries has taken a heavy toll, forcing the former world No. 2 to make difficult decisions about her future.

Recently, she announced that she is stepping away from the WTA tour to focus on an urgent physical and mental reset. “In Madrid, I felt completely drained,” Badosa confessed on the El Camino de Mario podcast.

“I had a conversation with my team, and I think I need some time to stop… to gather some strength and fight. I’m reaching a point where I’m exhausted. We’ve decided to stop, although we don’t know if it will be for two, three, or four weeks.”

The struggles have also affected her ranking. Badosa has dropped out of the WTA top 100, now sitting at 102nd. The four-time WTA champion is still searching for her first title of the season.

So far this year, Badosa has recorded nine wins but has suffered 12 defeats, highlighting the inconsistencies and challenges she is facing on the tour.

She was initially on the entry list for French Open qualifying, ranked behind only Veronika Erjavec and Francesca Jones. However, her name has now been removed from the official entry list for the clay-court Grand Slam, which is set to start in a week.

On the other side, Stefanos Tsitsipas is also in a slump. His singles ranking has plummeted to world No. 75, and he has failed to advance past the quarterfinals at any tour-level tournament. His recent clay-court campaign ended early when he was eliminated in the first round of the Italian Open, losing in straight sets to Tomáš Macháč.

With their struggles on court becoming more pronounced than their off-court challenges, both stars are facing a critical period in their careers.

Fans are left waiting to see when Badosa and Tsitsipas can finally return to the tour with strong performances and regain the form that once made them top contenders.