Paula Badosa ends season with retirement in Hong Kong
The Spanish tennis player withdrew from her first-round match against lucky loser Elena Pridankina due to physical issues.
Paula Badosa brought her 2026 tennis season to a close on Tuesday at the WTA 250 tournament in Hong Kong, where she was forced to retire in tears after losing the first set against lucky loser Elena Pridankina. The player from Begur dropped the opening set 7-5 and subsequently required medical attention, during which healthcare staff checked her blood pressure and vital signs before she decided to abandon the match.
This unfortunate ending mirrors similar scenes from earlier in her schedule. Just last week, a comparable retirement occurred during her tournament opener in Guangzhou against qualifier Carol Young Suh Lee. Throughout her professional career, Badosa has accumulated 40 retirements, with Tuesday marking her third withdrawal of the current year following exits in the second round of Dubai against Elina Svitolina and the final in Iasi against Mayar Sherif.
The match in Hong Kong began with a promising start for Badosa, who initially built a 4-1 lead in the first set before her opponent mounted a comeback. Pridankina, ranked 206th in the WTA rankings, entered the main draw following the withdrawal of fellow Spaniard Kaitlin Quevedo, who pulled out of the competition due to discomfort in her right thigh.
Entering the tournament, Badosa held the 57th position in the world rankings. With the conclusion of this match, she will finish the year outside the top 50 women's tennis players, remaining far from the sport's elite tier. Her final match statistics for the season stand at 29 victories and 23 defeats.
Badosa also concludes the campaign without a coach, having parted ways with Pol Toledo following the conclusion of the tournament in Beijing. Looking ahead to the upcoming preseason, finding a new technical director will be a priority to realign her competitive path and address the physical struggles that have frequently interrupted her matches.
The tournament in Hong Kong marked her final appearance of the year, bringing a challenging season defined by injuries to a definitive close. As she prepares for the next phase of her career, addressing her physical well-being and rebuilding her coaching staff will be essential steps for the upcoming year.