Though “Tsitsidosa” united on court for mixed doubles action at last week’s Eisenhower Cup, Tsitsipas opened up about the physical issues that sidelined Badosa from the BNP Paribas Open.
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.”
