Paula Badosa will drop outside the top 100 in the WTA rankings after the Miami Open.
Badosa suffered a significant rankings drop after the Australian Open, where the former world number two lost in the second round.
The Spaniard has only won two main tour matches since then, with Badosa having continued struggles with injuries that have plagued her career in recent years.
Badosa was already the world number 100 before the Miami Open, and after losing to Iva Jovic in the second round she is confirmed to fall even further, but she is not willing to take it lying down.
Paula Badosa claims she will be ‘back’ after dropping outside the top 100
After Badosa suffered a heavy 6-2, 6-1, defeat to Jovic in Miami, she has fallen to world number 113 in the live WTA rankings.
The 28-year-old has now taken to social media to explain how she has been feeling recently, but Badosa then went on to issue a defiant message at the end of her Instagram story, claiming she will be ‘back’.
How would you solve the tennis injury crisis?
Fear, f****** fear. It’s so awful,” wrote Badosa in a message translated from Spanish. “Sometimes I feel like I can’t control the voices inside me. The emotions are overwhelming, and I feel like I’m going to get the better of me. Doubts take hold, and I feel lost in a sea of emotions. There are days when I feel strong enough, and others when the mountain seems too high… and I wonder if I’ll be able to do it.
“I guess so. Because if anything defines me, it’s that I always bounce back. Turn pain into power, right? Why should this time be any different? There’s one thing I’m sure of: I’ll always give it my all. I’ll do whatever it takes.
“I know I’m far from my best self, but I also know that that version is still inside me. I won’t be remembered for winning the most titles, but I want to be remembered for this. For these moments. For showing that Paula was able to pull through. And for that boy or girl who’s going through a tough time to think of me and say, ‘If she could do it, so can I.'”
“I guess so. Because if anything defines me, it’s that I always bounce back. That’s why I’m still here. Because once again I’m going to prove that I can get through this. It will be very tough, but I promise to keep going until I succeed. And even if things aren’t going my way right now, and there are a thousand opinions… I’ll keep going. I’ll keep going.”
“And to my fans: thank you. Because many times you are the strength I need. Hearing you at the games, with that enthusiasm when even I can’t muster it, is the most valuable thing this sport has given me. Thank you. Paula isn’t back…but she will be.”
What is next for Paula Badosa?
Badosa will likely be encouraged by the limited number of ranking points she has to defend during the clay court season, having missed both the Madrid Open and Italian Open last year.
As a result, Badosa only has 238 ranking points to defend until after Roland Garros, and Badosa is already confirmed to play two clay court tournaments.
Staying in the US, Badosa will compete at the Charleston Open next week, where she is a former semifinalist.
Badosa is then scheduled to return to Europe, as she has received a wildcard for the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen, France.
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Although she has dropped outside the top 100, it also seems likely that Badosa will receive a wildcard for her home WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid.
However, Badosa may have to play qualifying at Roland Garros, which would be her first time in Grand Slam qualifying since the 2019 US Open.
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