Badosa Withdraws from Rome, Marks Setback Ahead of Roland Garros

Rome, Italy  — Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa will not compete in the ongoing Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, missing an opportunity to face Naomi Osaka and losing 120 points in rankings ahead of Roland Garros.

Badosa, who has been battling a back injury, withdrew just moments before her debut match against Osaka on Thursday. She previously withdrew from the Mutua Madrid Open, hoping to recover in time for the clay-court event in Rome but ultimately announced her decision to sit out.

Osaka, meanwhile, entered the match after a six-match winning streak on clay, her best performance in her career thus far. She would face Viktorija Golubic, the ‘lucky loser’, after Badosa’s withdrawal.

With Roland Garros approaching in just 17 days, Badosa’s current situation has put her preparations in jeopardy. The player has not secured a single victory on clay this season. To regain her form, she plans to participate in the Strasbourg tournament from May 18 to 24. However, it remains uncertain if she will be fit to play.

Despite missing out on ranking points in Rome, Badosa’s status as a top-10 player remains intact unless Elena Rybakina wins the tournament.

Earlier in the tournament, Petra Kvitova also withdrew, unable to compete against Ons Jabeur after recently celebrating her first win post-maternity.