On June 20, 2025, Paula Badosa, ranked world No. 10, suffered a devastating withdrawal from the Berlin Open quarterfinals against Xinyu Wang due to a right hip injury, retiring after losing the first set 6-1 and trailing 0-40 in the second, per EssentiallySports. The Spanish star, visibly distraught, smashed her racket four times on the grass and threw it aside, an emotional outburst captured by Sky Sports Tennis, prompting mixed reactions, per @SkySportsTennis. Badosa, who had shown promise with straight-set wins over Eva Lys (6-1, 6-3) and Emma Navarro (7-6(2), 6-3), took a medical timeout for her hip but couldn’t continue, per WTA Tennis.
Fans on X expressed frustration, with some questioning her commitment, one writing, “Energy to smash a racket but can’t even move to return a serve 🤷♀️,” per EssentiallySports. Others, like @RFETenis, offered support, posting, “Estamos contigo, Paula 🥺,” urging her recovery for Wimbledon, starting June 30, per. Badosa, battling a chronic back injury since a 2023 L4 vertebra stress fracture, shared her exhaustion on X, stating, “I’m so tired of this ❤️🩹,” reflecting the mental toll of recurring injuries, per Pro Football Network. Her 2025 season, highlighted by an Australian Open semifinal, has been marred by retirements in Mérida, Miami, and withdrawals from Madrid and Rome, per Sportskeeda.
Despite her resilience, Badosa’s latest setback, described as “heartbreaking” by Tennis World USA, raises doubts about her Bad Homburg Open participation and Wimbledon readiness, per Yardbarker. Her doubles semifinal with Ons Jabeur is also uncertain, per t-online.de. Badosa’s candid admission about fearing early retirement due to persistent injuries underscores the stakes, per Tennis Infinity.
