Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa said Thursday that she is withdrawing from the French Open due to a stress fracture in her spine.
Badosa, 25, said she sustained the injury during the recently concluded Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.
The setback comes after the Spaniard was just getting healthy from injuries earlier in the season.
“Just when everything seemed to be fine again, I received bad news just before starting a Grand Slam,” Badosa wrote on her social media accounts. “At the tournament in Rome I suffered a stress fracture in my spine. It has been very hard news after such a difficult start of the season with injuries.
“This is going to keep me out of the competition for some weeks. Thanks to all of you who were with me no matter what. I’ll keep you posted.”
Badosa had the best Grand Slam showing of her career at the 2021 French Open when she reached the quarterfinals. The Spaniard has three career victories.
The French Open draw also was conducted Thursday and two-time champion Iga Swiatek of Poland is the top seed. Swiatek will face Spain’s Cristian Bucsa in her first match.
Swiatek injured her thigh and retired in the quarterfinals in Rome but the injury didn’t prove serious.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is the No. 2 seed and will face Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. Jessica Pegula is No. 3 and will face fellow American Danielle Collins, the 2022 Australian Open finalist.
Red-hot Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan is No. 4 and will open with a yet-to-be-determined qualifier.
The French Open begins Sunday.
–Field Level Media