Paula Badosa’s hopes of building on last year’s breakthrough at the US Open have been crushed after the Spaniard confirmed she will miss the entire North American hard-court swing due to a stubborn back injury.
The 27-year-old reached the quarterfinals in New York 12 months ago, later backing it up with her first Grand Slam semifinal in Melbourne. But instead of chasing more accomplishments, the world No. 12 will spend the next month focusing solely on her recovery.
“I wasn’t built by easy days,” Badosa wrote on social media after the US Open announced her withdrawal. “I was shaped by the moments that broke me, the choices that didn’t go as planned, and the times I fell short of who I wanted to be.”
Her physical problems first flared up in the spring, forcing her off the tour for two months. She returned in late May, playing both the French Open and Wimbledon. A disappointing opening-round defeat to Britain’s Katie Boulter at SW19 was her last match before disappearing from the summer schedule.
Badosa has already sat out Washington, Montreal and this week’s Cincinnati Open. She had even signed up for the US Open mixed doubles with British star Jack Draper (a pairing that came together after her split from Stefanos Tsitsipas), but that plan has also been scrapped.
While no return date is set, Badosa has her sights on the upcoming Asian swing. “Right now I need to focus on my health and recovery so I can return stronger and ready to compete again,” she said.
With Badosa’s withdrawal, Jil Teichmann of Switzerland has moved into the US Open main draw.
