Spanish tennis star Paula Badosa opened up about how she faced struggles early in her career, particularly following premature comparisons to WTA icon Maria Sharapova after her junior triumph at Roland Garros in 2015. Badosa said that she was made to feel as if she had already reached the heights of the sport.
“Well, look, it may be surprising, but it happened to me as a junior, when I won Roland Garros in 2015. People started calling me 'the new Sharapova,' someone who was my idol, and a stylish girl on top of that,” said Badosa in an insightful, exclusive interview with Eurosport.
“I remember thinking at the time- 'This is super easy, they're telling me I'll make it into the top-10 next year, and a ton of sponsors will be coming soon.' At the time, I thought I was God, which is why it was so hard for me to make the jump to professional tennis,” said Badosa ruefully.
Badosa said that the early comparisons with someone whom she revered growing up, sealed her path and goals without much choice. Which meant that Badosa had lofty expectations and standards to live up to and when those expectations weren’t met, it would push her closer and closer towards a mental breakdown.
“I didn't accept anything, I wasn't clear-headed, I was a very competitive person, and I got frustrated very quickly. I didn't fight in matches and I fell into a very toxic circle where everyone around me sugar-coated the pill for me,” Badosa said.
“People elevated me to a reality that didn't exist, a mistake I stumbled into because I didn't understand certain things. That's when I fell into depression and anxiety. I saw I wasn't achieving my goals, but it was a different reality. Now I'm ashamed of having been that way,” added Badosa.
Badosa’s persisting back issues, which forced her out of the Madrid Open, have significantly added to her career struggles. Badosa also hinted that she could retire from tennis if her back issues continued to hamper her calendar. However, for now her aim is to try and get in shape for Roland Garros, and hope that her dreams of winning at least one slam before retiring remain alive.
