Paula Badosa opens up about double standards between male and female tennis players

After Paula Badosa started the 2021 season as world no. 70, her career skyrocketed last year, especially after her Indian Wells triumph.

The 24-years-old won 40 matches last year that were enough to collect two titles and finish the year as no. 8. This year, she added 30 more victories and another WTA title and currently, Paula Badosa is the third highest-ranked woman in the world.

However, also during the 2022 season, which can be considered a success, she had periods when she lost up to three matches in a row. In her interview with El Larguero, Badosa opened up about how the losing streaks and bad periods are more accepted among men, while female tennis players are more criticised.

Read also

Emma Raducanu starts her climb up the WTA Rankings, can she still finish the year in Top 50?

"Yes, it [criticism] came to me as a crisis. I've always been very demanding, but being very emotional and visceral has made it very difficult for me to deal with those things," Badosa said. "There are also threats. In the end, you don't have to pay attention. There are people who are not balanced, they are the ones who have the problem."

"I think that on the female side, it is more complicated because the critics say that you are unfocused. Or if you have some marketing agreement, they tell you that you do not perform in tennis."

"I don't see that so much on the male side. And there is a part which is more tabloids than sports media. That's why I've taken a step back with that," Badosa added.

Read also

2022 World Tennis League ATP & WTA Entry List - Djokovic, Kyrgios, Swiatek & more