WATCH: Paula Badosa Repeatedly Smashes Her Racket, Angrily Throws It on Court After Being Forced to Retire in Berlin Match
Paula Badosa, ranked No. 10, unleashed her frustration after retiring from her Berlin Open quarterfinal against Wang Xinyu due to an unspecified injury, smashing her racket multiple times and throwing it across the court at Steffi Graf Stadion, per Pro Football Network. Trailing 6-1, 0-40 in the second set, Badosa, who took a medical timeout after the first set, gestured to the umpire to end the match, per @TennisChannel. Her emotional outburst, captured by Sky Sports Tennis, saw her repeatedly slam her racket before tossing it aside post-handshake with Wang, per @SkySportsTennis.
Badosa, who had started the WTA 500 grasscourt event strongly with wins over Eva Lys (6-1, 6-3) and Emma Navarro (7-6(2), 6-3), expressed exhaustion with her recurring health issues, posting on X, “I’m so tired of this ❤️🩹,” per Pro Football Network. Her chronic lower-back injury, a stress fracture in her L4 vertebra since 2023, has forced multiple retirements, including Mérida, Miami, and withdrawals from Indian Wells, Charleston, Madrid, and Rome, per EssentiallySports. Fans on X criticized her actions, with one stating, “Energy to smash a racket but can’t even move to return a serve 🤷♀️,” per EssentiallySports, while others expressed sympathy, per @RFETenis.
Badosa’s history of racket-smashing, seen in her 2021 French Open quarterfinal and 2022 Australian Open, reflects her intense emotions, per Getty Images. With Wimbledon looming on June 30, her latest setback raises concerns about her physical readiness, per Hindustan Times. Despite a strong 2025, including an Australian Open semi-final and a US Open quarter-final, Badosa’s injury-plagued season underscores her resilience but also the toll of her chronic condition, per Tennis.com.
