Paula Badosa pulls plug on rest of 2023 season after trying "everything"

WIMBLEDON FLASHBACK: Badosa dishes on Tsitsipas dream

As Ajla Tomljanovic prepares to make her 2023 debut in Flushing, fellow Break Point castmate Paula Badosa has sadly cut an already dampened season short—joining the Aussie in missing three of the four majors.

On Saturday, Badosa withdrew from the US Open and announced that she would not return to the court for the rest of the year. The former world No. 2 was due to face Venus Williams in the wild card’s 24th appearance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

“After struggling for many months to compete again, I am ending my season. Those of you who know me know how much I like to compete and how difficult it has been to make this decision,” she wrote on her social media.

“We have tried everything together with my team but the pain is not letting me move forward. Thanks to the people who are still by my side in these hard times. See you next year, stronger than ever.”

Badosa’s lone appearance in a Grand Slam draw came at Wimbledon, where she won her opener against Alison Riske but was forced to retire in her second-rounder with Marta Kostyuk early in the second set with a recurrent back injury.

That setback also resulted in the Spaniard pulling out from the mixed doubles event with boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas. In June, the couple had gone public via Spotify and cemented their official status through a joint Instagram account appropriately called “Tsitsidosa” that has since garnered more than 91,000 followers.

In a season full of starts and stops, the 25-year-old finishes with an 18-9 record. Eleven of those victories were picked up at Charleston and the European clay-court swing before her spinal stress fracture surfaced in Rome.

Williams will now meet qualifier Greet Minnen Tuesday night inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.