Former World No. 2 Paula Badosa of Spain withdrew from the U.S. Open on Saturday due to a back injury and said she won’t play again this season.
Badosa was slated to meet Venus Williams in the first round on Tuesday.
Badosa hasn’t played since aggravating the back injury during a second-round match against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk at Wimbledon on July 7. Kostyuk led 6-2, 1-0 when Badosa retired.
The 25-year-old had previously pulled out of the French Open on May 25 due to a spinal fracture. She initially was injured earlier in May during the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.
“After struggling for many months to compete again, I am ending my season,” Badosa wrote on social media. “Those of you who know me know how much I like to compete and how difficult it has been to make this decision. We have tried everything together with my team but the pain is not letting me move forward.”
Badosa reached her career-best No. 2 ranking in April 2022.
Williams will now face either a qualifier or a lucky loser, according to the U.S. Open.
–Field Level Media