Paula Badosa’s journey has been a fierce ballad of grit and heartbreak. Struck in Rome 2023 by a cruel lower back injury that fractured two vertebrae, she clawed her way back to glory, seizing the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open crown in 2024. Yet fate’s cruel refrain returned in Merida, March 2025, halting her charge and forcing painful exits from Indian Wells and Miami.

Unfortunately, even that did not mark the end of her woes, as a tear in her psoas meant that she would not be able to defend her title in Washington. “I’m going through a really tough time,” she wrote on X. And now, with the US Open, the season’s final grand stage, glimmering in the bright lights of Flushing Meadows, Badosa delivers yet another gut-punch to her fans: the crushing news of yet another withdrawal.

Just hours ago, Paula Badosa took to Instagram stories to deliver the news her fans had feared but hoped never to hear. In her latest post, the Spaniard poured her heart into words, confessing, “It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my withdrawal from this year’s US Open.” She continued with raw honesty, “This decision was incredibly difficult to make. After the amazing run I had in New York last year and the deep connection I feel with the city and its fans, stepping away from this tournament is very emotional for me. The US Open has always meant a great deal to me and I have created some of my most special memories there.” It was the kind of announcement that leaves a sting in the air.

Badosa, never one to leave her supporters without gratitude, added further warmth to her farewell. “I want to thank everyone for the ongoing support. Right now I need to focus on my health and recovery so I can return stronger and ready to compete again,” she wrote, before closing with a heartfelt nod to the city she loves: “Wishing all the players the very best. To the fans in New York, I will miss you deeply and I look forward to being back as soon as I can.” Every word felt like a note in a bittersweet song, a melody of resilience and longing.

The setback is another chapter in what has been a stormy year for the Spaniard. She has not stepped onto a competitive court since her Wimbledon first-round loss to Britain’s Katie Boulter in three sets. 

Now, her absence will stretch through the US Open, which runs from August 24 to September 7. She had been set to compete in the women’s singles and also in mixed doubles alongside Britain’s Jack Draper, with a tempting $1,000,000 awaiting the winning pair.

The US Tennis Association, which announced her withdrawal and named Jil Teichmann as her replacement in the draw, confirmed the blow. Interestingly, Alizé Cornet, who retired last year but returned to competition in 2025, stands next in line for a berth should another withdrawal occur. For the tournament, it’s a reshuffling of the deck. For Badosa, it’s a pause on a dream she has always chased fiercely.

Her participation had already been shrouded in doubt after Friday morning’s social media post, where the 27-year-old paired a deeply personal caption with a black-and-white image that spoke volumes. She opened up about the injury setbacks and personal battles that have shadowed her path, making this latest blow all the more poignant. 

And though her lower back injury continues to cause relentless pain, hope still lingers. As a former Spanish ATP veteran recently shared in a message of belief, there’s faith that Paulita will return, her fire rekindled, ready to strike again.

Francesc Orriols shares a worrying update on Paula Badosa

Paula Badosa’s injury saga has been a long, punishing road, filled with cruel twists of fate. It began in May 2023 during the Italian Open, when a second-round clash with Ons Jabeur ended in disaster, a stress fracture in her L4/L5 vertebrae. Weeks later came the heartbreak of missing Roland Garros. 

Even after an 8–12 week recovery window, her return was cut short again, retiring mid-match in Wimbledon’s second round against Marta Kostyuk. By July, the comeback dream crumbled once more, just three days before a US Open first-round showdown with Venus Williams, her season was over before it truly began.

Now, with another US Open slipping away, the pain is not hers alone to bear. Last month, Spanish tennis legend Francesc Orriols voiced what so many feel. On July 16, he shared a heartfelt message: “[Translated from Spanish] I really feel bad about what happened to the great @paulabadosa. I’ve known her since she was little, and she has a great love for tennis. If that weren’t the case, with her lumbar spine in such bad shape, she would have already retired from tennis. Now it’s been the psoas. Stay strong, Paula. Keep going.” His words carried both concern and unshakable belief in her warrior spirit.

That same fighting fire is something Badosa herself has spoken of. Back in February at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, she revealed just how close she came to walking away. “I was close, I was close to retirement. What kept me going is that I always had that faith in myself of keep believing, like just give it one more try, one more try. And I think also what kept me going was the passion I have for tennis. I love it,” she told The National.

Her resilience has not gone unrewarded. She stormed into the semifinals of the Australian Open this January, a statement to all that she remains a force to be reckoned with. And just last year, she reached her career-best US Open result, a thrilling run to the quarterfinals under the lights of New York.

This year, she won’t be there to fight for another deep run. But if there’s one truth Paula Badosa has proven time and again, it’s that even in the shadows of injury, her comeback is never a matter of if, only when.