Former World No. 2 Paula Badosa expects to be out of action for at least the remainder of the season due to a spinal stress fracture.
Badosa has endured a nightmare year on the tennis courts this year, playing just 27 matches. Her injury troubles began in earnest during the Australian summer when she missed the year's first major due to a thigh injury.
On her return to hard courts in February, she struggled to find her best form in the Middle East and North America, winning a paltry two matches in four tournaments. She managed to get her season back on track during the clay swing, reaching the quarterfinals in three tournaments including the WTA 1000 in Rome.
But it was in the Eternal City where Badosa suffered another setback - a spinal stress fracture, that ruled her out of the French Open. She recovered ahead of schedule and appeared at Wimbledon without any match sharpness. But the same issue resurfaced during her second-round match against Marta Kostyuk forcing her to retire.
The 25-year-old hasn't played since then despite traveling to North America in preparation for the US swing. She pulled out from the US Open at the last minute and announced that she'll end her season.
Badosa told Greek publication SDNA and which was reported exclusively by Clay Tenis, that she hopes to recover in time for the Australian Open next year. Her goal is to play mixed doubles with her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas.
"My injury is not good right now. You need time to recover from a stress fracture and it’s a long process. I hope to be ready in January. Right now I shouldn’t move because it’s the spine and it’s very delicate. Hopefully, I can be healthy enough to be in the Australian Open and play mixed doubles with Stefanos."
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