Paula Badosa won't play forever, but she's enjoying the time she has left
Reflecting on her mental and physical health journeys on Caroline Garcia's Tennis Insider Club podcast, the former world No. 2 has found a new approach to tennis and life moving forward.
Twelve months ago, Paula Badosa thought she might never play top-level tennis again. But now, back in the Top 10 and reinvigorated after overcoming injuries, her love for the game has never been stronger.
“I really enjoy the competition,” the WTA's 2024 Comeback Player of the Year says on the latest episode of Tennis Insider Club, Caroline Garcia’s podcast endeavor.
But tennis isn’t the only love of her life, something she was forced to grapple with when a back injury forced her off the tour in 2023, and nearly ended her playing career.
“I love tennis, but I love other things,” she says. “I enjoy life so much."
“On days off, I want to be with my people and do simple things," she adds. "But of course, looking forward and to the future, I want to do so many things. Like when I finish tennis or maybe I want to help the kids, I’ve always had this thing with kids, so I love it. I want this project, maybe an academy related to sports, but then I’m like, maybe fashion, I love fashion. So, I have plenty of things that I really enjoy.”
On the podcast, Badosa and Garcia reflect on the evolution of a player’s career, specifically the duration in which someone’s on tour. Previously, “when you arrived to your thirties, you were supposed to just drop the racquet,” they said.
Badosa admits her career with be finite, expressing her desire to be a mom. But for now, she's enjoying the time (years, she hopes) that she has left.
I’m not worried for the future because I think that balance of tennis and my other life is pretty good. Paula Badosa
“I would play forever, of course my body won’t respond, but I really want to be a mom,” Badosa said. “I would play until 40 if I could, but I have that mother instinct.
“I think when I feel it or when I see the moment, but for now, I want to play for years. I’m feeling good again. I was one year injured, so it’s like I lost a year there, so I’m really hungry to play more.”
Her 2025 started with a first Grand Slam semifinal appearance at the Australian Open, where she upset Coco Gauff, which propeled her to her best ranking since 2022.
Whether it comes to protecting her mental health, or preserving her physical health, Badosa continues to make decisions that have impacted her career for the better.
“If you have the talent, if you’re happy, if you work, the rest comes,” she says.
Watch the full interview here.