Paula Badosa has experienced the highs and lows of tennis over her short career, which is suffering a downward trend following her withdrawal from Wimbledon.

The 25-year-old was forced to halt her second-round contest against Marta Kostyuk with a reoccurrence of a back injury that ruled her out of the French Open. Badosa will now be battling her fitness for the rest of the 2023 campaign to preserve her status in the top 50 of the world rankings.

Regaining Form

Her reputation still allows her to be considered one of the contenders in the tennis odds for the US Open at 16/1 to win the crown. But, there will be natural doubts about her fitness and form against her rivals, including top players that boasted stronger prices women’s Wimbledon betting odds such as Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur.

Badosa needs to regain her peak form from the 2021 campaign where she made the breakthrough on the WTA Tour, winning Indian Wells and reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open.

The Spaniard has all the attributes of a top player but has not been able to piece all the elements together to make a significant run at a Grand Slam unlike her compatriot Garbine Muguruza, who claimed Wimbledon and French Open glory.

In the 2021 French Open, Badosa did benefit from Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal before surging into the last eight. However, her run was cut short by the unseeded Tamara Zidansek, and she has not progressed into the latter stages of a Grand Slam since.

Since the retirement of Serena Williams, there have been great opportunities for the next generation of stars to come through and make their mark at major tournaments.

There have been a number of examples of starlets that have come out of nowhere to stun the women’s game. Badosa arguably has greater talent than a number of those players, but the Spaniard has not been able to raise her game against elite opponents.

The spotlight of the occasion appears to have affected her performance. She more than most has spoken out about the pressures of playing at the highest level, especially regarding her mental health. Since her rise in 2021, it has been a battle for Badosa both on and off the court to cope with the rigours of the WTA Tour.

Future

She was showing signs of recovery in 2023 after reaching the quarter-finals of the Italian Open, notably beating Jabeur in the second round of the competition. But, a defeat to Jeļena Ostapenko ended her charge, although there was hope that she could channel her momentum at Wimbledon.

After brushing aside Alison Riske-Amritraj in straight sets, it appeared as though Badosa would be a dangerous operator in the bottom half of the draw, only for her back injury to flare up once more.

Injury issues can blight even the most talented of players, and the 25-year-old is now at a crossroads in her career. It might be in her interests to miss the rest of the campaign to resolve the issue once and for all. As Jabeur and other players in their late twenties can attest, Grand Slam champions are not reserved for starlets on the rise.

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