Paula Badosa was forced to retire from her second-round match against Elina Svitolina at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships due to a leg injury. The Spaniard led early in the first set but lost momentum, allowing Svitolina to win 6-4 before Badosa withdrew in tears. This marks another setback in Badosa's challenging 2026 season plagued by injuries.
Paula Badosa, the former world No. 2, faced Elina Svitolina in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on February 17, 2026. Badosa started strongly, taking a 4-1 lead and holding two break points for a 5-1 advantage. However, she then lost the next five games, dropping the set 6-4 to Svitolina.
After the set, Badosa called for the physio due to a leg issue, possibly related to a hip injury that caused her to withdraw from the previous week's WTA 1000 event in Doha. Visibly upset and in tears, she consulted with doctors and ultimately retired from the match, handing Svitolina a 3-0 head-to-head record. Their prior meetings included Svitolina's wins at the Billie Jean King Cup in 2025 and Eastbourne in 2021.
Svitolina expressed mixed emotions post-match: “I was expecting Paula to play well. I was very sad that we couldn’t continue after the first set, but I think the level was pretty high. She was striking the ball really well. In the end, I found my way, found my game. So, it’s a mixture of feelings. I hope she gets well and comes back stronger.” Svitolina advanced to face Belinda Bencic in the third round, after Bencic received a walkover from Sara Bejlek, who withdrew with an abdominal injury.
Badosa's 2026 season has been turbulent. She reached the round of 16 in Brisbane but lost her opener in Adelaide. At the Australian Open, she defended semifinal points from 2025 but exited in the second round, falling 6-4, 6-4 to Oksana Selekhmeteva. Reflecting on that loss, Badosa said, “I’m not happy, obviously. I think she deserves credit, of course, but I also believe that I have done things to deserve this defeat. I haven’t played great tennis, I’m finding it a bit hard to feel like myself, but I guess it’s part of the process.” She added, “On my side of the court, I didn’t feel myself. I didn’t feel I was playing good tennis. I was uncomfortable right from the beginning. It is what it is – I have to accept it and keep working.”
Earlier in the Middle East swing, Badosa lost in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open to Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Her injury history dates back further; in 2025, she retired in tears during the China Open while trailing Karolina Muchova 4-2. Last year, Badosa revealed she nearly retired, stating, “I was close, I was close to retirement. What kept me going is that I always had that faith in myself of keep believing, like just give it one more try, one more try. And I think also what kept me going was the passion I have for tennis. I love it.” Fans await her potential return at upcoming events like Indian Wells.
