Emma Raducanu swoons over close friend Paula Badosa enjoying life amid injury recovery after US Open withdrawal
Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, recently expressed her support for close friend Paula Badosa, who withdrew from the 2025 US Open due to a recurring back injury. Badosa, ranked world No. 12, has been sidelined since a first-round loss at Wimbledon on June 30, 2025, and announced her withdrawal from the US Open on August 8, 2025, missing the entire North American hard-court swing, including the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open. Raducanu, who herself pulled out of the US Open on August 15, 2025, due to ongoing wrist and ankle injuries, showed her affection by commenting “😍” on Badosa’s Instagram post, which offered a glimpse into her recovery in Dubai (www.sportskeeda.com).
Badosa’s post included candid photos of her hitting the gym, getting a massage, and showcasing a new iPhone with her initials, captioned, “From my camara roll to your scroll 🎞️📸📲✌️.” Raducanu’s heartfelt reaction underscored their close bond, forged through shared experiences on the WTA tour. Badosa responded with love, acknowledging Raducanu’s support during her challenging recovery from a psoas tear, a persistent injury that has caused mid-match retirements and forced her to withdraw from multiple tournaments since Wimbledon (www.sportskeeda.com). Badosa’s emotional Instagram letter reflected on her setbacks, stating, “I wasn’t built by easy days… My setbacks weren’t signs that I was weak; they were necessary chapters in a story that’s still being written” (www.profootballnetwork.com).
Raducanu’s own withdrawal from the US Open, confirmed by Express Sport, stems from her recovery from 2023 wrist and ankle surgeries, which have limited her competitive schedule. Despite recent progress under coach Francis Roig, including a competitive Cincinnati Open loss to Aryna Sabalenka, Raducanu’s decision mirrors Badosa’s focus on long-term health. Both players face significant ranking drops—Badosa risks falling out of the top 20 after losing 430 US Open points, while Raducanu’s No. 33 ranking reflects her injury-plagued seasons (www.sportskeeda.com, www.tennisuptodate.com).
The mutual support between Raducanu and Badosa highlights the camaraderie among athletes navigating injury setbacks, similar to Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the US Open mixed doubles due to her partner’s hospitalization or Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin’s strategic Davis Cup preparations. Raducanu’s gesture, amplified on X with posts like “Emma swooning over Paula’s recovery vibes is friendship goals” (@SK__Tennis, August 16, 2025), resonates with fans. As both aim for returns—Badosa targeting the Asian swing and Raducanu the Billie Jean King Cup Finals—their bond underscores resilience amid adversity.
