“Will Be Back Stronger,” Paula Badosa’s Heartbreaking Madrid Withdrawal Sparks Emotional Interaction With Coach Over Instagram
Paula Badosa, Spain’s No. 9 seed, was forced to withdraw from the Mutua Madrid Open hours before her second-round match against Veronika Kudermetova due to a persistent lower back injury. The announcement, made via Instagram, left fans and the tennis community reeling, as Badosa expressed her devastation at missing her home tournament. Her emotional exchange with coach Pol Toledo Bague on social media highlighted her resilience and their unbreakable bond.
“Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know that unfortunately I won’t be able to play Mutua Madrid Open,” Badosa wrote on her Instagram Story. “I’ve tried to do everything possible until the last moment because you know how excited I am to play at home, but it’s being a complicated injury. I hope to be 100% soon. Big hug, Paula.”
The withdrawal marks another chapter in Badosa’s ongoing battle with a chronic back injury that began in 2023, when she suffered two fractured vertebrae in Rome. Despite a triumphant 2024, earning her the WTA Comeback Player of the Year title after winning the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open and reaching the Australian Open semifinals, the injury resurfaced in March 2025 at the Merida Open. This led to withdrawals from Indian Wells and a walkover in Miami, limiting her to just 22 matches this season. []
In response to Badosa’s post, her coach Pol Toledo Bague shared a heartfelt message on his Instagram Story, accompanied by a photo of her: “Resilience is understood as the ability of the human being to face the adversities of life, overcome them and be positively transformed by them.” Badosa replied, “Thank you coach ❤️🩹 we will be back stronger like we always did @pol.toledo.” This touching interaction underscored their long-standing partnership, which began in August 2021 after Badosa parted ways with Javier Marti. Under Toledo’s guidance, she won titles in Belgrade (2021) and Washington (2024) and reached a career-high No. 2 ranking in April 2022. [](https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-will-be-back-stronger-paula-badosas-heartbreaking-madrid-withdrawal-sparks-emotional-interaction-with-coach-over-instagram/)[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Badosa)
Badosa’s withdrawal handed a lucky loser spot to fellow Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, who faced Kudermetova. The absence of Badosa, alongside Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal due to a thigh injury, left Spain without key home favorites at the Caja Mágica. [](https://www.rfi.fr/en/sports/20250425-badosa-pulls-out-of-madrid-open-with-injury)[](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/4253778/back-injury-forces-paula-badosa-out-of-madrid-open)
Reflecting on her injury, Badosa has been candid about the emotional toll. “It’s difficult to handle emotionally, above all because I started so well,” she told the WTA. “You lose your confidence quickly, and getting that back is a long process.” Despite the setback, her history of resilience—highlighted by her 2024 resurgence and past Madrid semifinal run in 2021—fuels hope for a strong return, possibly at Roland Garros starting May 25.
Fans and players, including Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez, have previously rallied around Badosa during injury setbacks, with Gauff commenting “Get well soon!” on a 2023 French Open withdrawal post. The tennis world now awaits her recovery, hoping the former junior French Open champion can reclaim her form on clay.
