Stefanos Tsitsipas lends support to girlfriend Paula Badosa amid Indian Wells injury struggles

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—The BNP Paribas Open began with an on-court Tsitsidosa reunion between off-court couple Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa, who has struggled with injuries since peaking at No. 2 in the WTA rankings in 2022.

But after the 2021 champion was forced to withdraw from Tennis Paradise due to a persistent back issue, she posted a wistful caption on social media: “One day I’ll be smiling on a court again 🤞” and Tsitsipas opened up about supporting his off-court partner through the toughest patch of her career.

“It does create a difficult time for not just Paula but me, as well, having to be there and keep pushing her to kind of get well and jump back on the court,” he explained after a straight-set win over Frances Tiafoe. “She's kind of been in and out. The most frustrating part about all of this is that she did play a few matches, and then she didn't feel that well again, so it has been a tricky time for both of us.

“On my end, I'm trying to find the right words and the right things to say. Obviously when it started in the beginning, you have a lot of faith in it and you're, like, ‘Okay, you just need to stay committed in the process of healing and getting better.’ But after a while, there aren't many things you can say, because you are confused yourself with what's happening with the body.

“I'm just there as much as I can to keep making her feel good that at least we are together and we're trying to find solution together.”

Tsitsipas and Badosa have been inseparable since making their relationship public last spring, creating a popular couples Instagram page and becoming frequent fixtures at each other’s’ matches. Where Tsitsipas has had his own injury struggles in the last 12 months, Badosa missed three of the four major tournaments in 2023, and despite starting the new season with a run to the 2024 Australian Open third round, she has been off court since retiring in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February.

“I do feel like time will show, and soon I'm pretty sure she will be fully healed and be ready to go full again,” insisted Tsitsipas, who appeared alongside Badosa at the Indian Wells Taste of Tennis event last week.

Tsitsipas’ own drop in the rankings—falling from a career-high of No. 3 to a five-year low of No. 12—put him in a tricky section of the draw that not only included 2023 semifinalist Tiafoe but also No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev, who could be his fourth-round opponent.

Obviously when it started in the beginning, you have a lot of faith in it and you're, like, ‘Okay, you just need to stay committed in the process of healing and getting better.’ But after a while, there aren't many things you can say, because you are confused yourself with what's happening with the body. Stefanos Tsitsipas on supporting girlfriend Paula Badosa

“It's part of the whole experience being outside of the Top 10,” Tsitsipas said, seeing it as much of an advantage as a hindrance. “We have seen players that were in the Top 10 and dropped out a little bit. Some of them much further. It can be tricky for those that are high-ranked because some of the players do have that big tennis that they have, of course, once produced which kept them in the Top 5 and they had big results…I've had those actually in the past against players that do not deserve to be outside the Top 20 or 30 and are way better than that in terms of tennis and experience.

“These can be tricky matches, and I feel like being some sort of contender for that title, let's say, it does perhaps add a bit more pressure to the other guys, because of course I have proved myself over the last few years that I can be there. It's just that it hasn't worked out recently, and I'm not in the best sort of tennis shape that I've been in terms of the last months.”

Despite that optimism, the Sunshine Swing hasn’t been an especially fruitful time of year for Tsitsipas—even when he was playing at his best. The two-time Grand Slam finalist has reached just one quarterfinal in the California desert, losing in the second and third round in his last two outings.

Into the fourth round for the first time since 2021, is the introspective Greek winding up for a result big enough to inspire both himself and Badosa?

“Dear Indian Wells,” he said, opening a hypothetical letter to the tournament. “You've been mean to me in the past, but I still have lots of love for you, and I'm here to make up and create good memories together. So please give me your love, give me your full support, and I'm sure I'm going to be your special one.”