One notable absentee from the North American swing has been Paula Badosa. The Spaniard’s last appearance came at the Hamburg Open in late July, where she was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Mayar Sherif. After two weeks out of action, Badosa shocked fans by sharing several photos from a hospital on Friday. While speculation initially pointed to an injury, she has now clarified the reason behind the visit.

Turns out Badosa underwent a small surgery. Though she didn’t reveal any details about the surgery, she is confident about returning to action very soon and is eager to compete in the USA.

“Hi everyone. If you were wondering about the photos from yesterday, I had to undergo a small procedure that I’d been putting off for quite some time, and I needed to take a short break to recover properly,” she wrote on an Instagram story. “I’m happy to say I’m back training now and really looking forward to competing again. See you all very soon in the US!”

Badosa has withdrawn from the Citi Open and National Bank Open, and has also pulled out of the Cincinnati Masters. She hasn’t provided further detail on her physical condition beyond the Instagram statement.

The only WTA tournament left for her to prepare for the US Open is the Monterrey Open, beginning August 23, a WTA 500 event that wraps up just a day before the Grand Slam begins. Playing there carries real risk. Even a minor setback could jeopardize her US Open spot entirely.

Injuries have been a major problem for Badosa for a few years now. They had come back to haunt her recently in the final of the Iasi Open. Notably, Badosa was forced to retire from the clash against Sherif having trailed 6-4, 4-0 due to physical discomfort. The Spaniard didn’t want to risk an injury and withdrew after having a dreadful start to the second set.

This new surgery couldn’t have come at a worse time for Badosa. It has halted all her momentum after she had picked up her form significantly in the last month and had even stitched together a nine-match winning streak. She lifted the title at the Nordea Open by racking up five consecutive wins. This included a 7-5, 7-5 triumph over Simona Waltert in the final.

Badosa then won four consecutive matches at the Iasi Open before retiring in the final. This run of form brought a major improvement to her ranking. She was down to No. 141 just before her first-round exit at Wimbledon. But she managed to break into the top 100 again following her brilliant run of form.

Paula Badosa secured her place in the US Open’s main draw following a superb run of results

Badosa is currently ranked No. 84. This is the first time since March that she has reached the top 100. She climbed a total of 57 places following her nine-match winning streak. This ranking was enough for her to secure a place in the main draw of the US Open.

The veteran would have had to settle for the qualifying matches if she hadn’t broken into the top 100 at the right time. Her name is on the official entry list for the US Open, and she will be aiming to recover quickly and put in a strong performance at the Grand Slam.

Though her recent visit to the hospital did seem to cast doubt over her participation at first, she is already back in training and is expected to be in action at Flushing Meadows. Having not participated in the tournament last year due to injury, Badosa will be eager to make an impact this time around.

Her last appearance at the US Open came in 2024, when she reached the quarterfinals on the back of four strong wins before falling to Emma Navarro, 6-2, 7-5. With her ranking secured and her body reportedly recovering on schedule, Badosa’s next real test comes at Monterrey on August 23, a tournament she’ll need to navigate carefully with the US Open beginning the very next day.