Paula Badosa set for another spell out as back issues resurfaces

Spain's Paula Badosa has raised new concerns regarding her fitness as she approaches the clay-court season. The former world number two withdrew from this month's Charleston Open due to a lower back injury and has not specified when she might return.

Badosa has dropped out of the top 50 in the world rankings, largely due to a series of injuries, including a persistent lower back issue that led her to contemplate retirement last year. However, the 27-year-old achieved a significant milestone by reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in January.

Subsequently, she retired during her quarter-final match against Daria Saville in Merida and opted out of Indian Wells. She further exacerbated her injury, resulting in her withdrawal from the Miami Open on Monday after securing a victory in the third round against Clara Tauson.

"Hello everyone, as you know I had to withdraw from Miami and the upcoming tournaments," the world number 11 said on Instagram after the Charleston Open confirmed she had pulled out.

"It's very sad and tough to deal with the pain ... stopping and coming back every single time.

"Now it's time to go through the recovery process again. Hopefully I will be back soon."

The Charleston Open is scheduled to take place from March 31 to April 6, preceding a series of prestigious clay-court tournaments next month that will culminate in the French Open, which starts in late May.

SportsLigue