Paula Badosa slams Spanish tennis for masking a big problem

Paula Badosa is one of the more recognizable players in women's tennis. She is talented, of course, but she also is dating top ten men's player Stefanos Tsitsipas and Badosa also is not shy about speaking what she feels is her truth. She brings a fresh perspective to tennis even though people do not always agree with her.

Badosa was once a top-ten player on the WTA tour and could be again. She has dealt with injuries and poor form, but there is no doubt about her potential quality to win high-level matches. To be considered among the best WTA players, though, she does need to get past the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam event. She has made the quarters only one and that was at the 2021 French Open. At the 2024 Australian Open, Badosa lost in the third round.

It was after her third round loss that she expressed her concern about the future of Spanish tennis, both on the men's side and the womens side. Badosa feels that the Spanish tennis federation simply is not doing enough to get Spanish youth into playing tennis even though Spain has produced players such as Badosa, Rafael Nadal, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, and Carlos Alcaraz. The problem now, according to Badosa, might be Alcaraz.

Paula Badosa has strong thoughts about the state of Spanish tennis

Badosa has no ill will toward Alcaraz, but his success is masking the problem of Spain not having many good young players besides Alcaraz. Nadal is great, but he is 37 years old and likely close to retirement. Spain only has two players inside the top 50 on the ATP tour, Carlos Alcaraz and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. On the women's side, only three Spaniards rank inside the top 100 and none inside the top 50. All the women are 24 years old or older.

According to Badosa, "I've been thinking and saying this for a long time, there's a lack of players. It's something that makes me a little sad because I believe that our movement has always had many athletes...on the women's side we are struggling a little more.

"I think there's still a lack of good groundwork from the Federation or something like that...Luckily, having Alcaraz covers everything we have behind us as there aren't many Spanish players at the moment."

Spanish tennis being in worse shape, especially overall on the men's side, than United States tennis is fairly damning. The world needs great young Spanish players. At least, great ones other than just Carlos Alcaraz.

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