The former world number two seeks stability after another difficult season.
OSAKA
Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa has begun a new chapter of her professional career with an early defeat in Japan, just days after ending her long-standing coaching partnership with Pol Toledo. Her loss to Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic at the WTA 250 tournament in Osaka highlights the challenge facing a former world number two attempting to rebuild her career after years of injuries and interrupted competition.
Badosa, 28, entered the tournament without Toledo, who had coached her for nearly four years. Their separation followed a difficult season in which the Spaniard struggled to recover the consistency that once placed her among the world’s leading players.
The decision came after her elimination by Jelena Ostapenko at the China Open in Beijing. Badosa subsequently explained that she needed a change to rediscover her best tennis, acknowledging that her results had fallen short of expectations.
Her transition began without a permanent replacement. Carlos Silvestre, Claudia Taberner and physiotherapist Pablo Solana accompanied her in Osaka, providing continuity while she considers the future structure of her coaching team.
The defeat against Ruzic was particularly disappointing because Badosa had beaten the Croatian in their previous encounter in Beijing a year earlier.
The immediate result does not establish whether the coaching change will prove successful. Adjustments to training methods, communication and match preparation generally require time, especially when an athlete is also managing physical limitations.
Badosa’s difficulties extend beyond one tournament. A chronic lower-back condition has repeatedly interrupted her career, affecting her ability to maintain the training and competitive rhythm required on the women’s professional circuit.
Her 2026 campaign included early eliminations and withdrawals that contributed to a substantial decline in the rankings. At one stage, she fell to world number 142 before recovering enough ground to reach approximately 61st place in October.
There have nevertheless been encouraging performances. In Berlin, she defeated Coco Gauff, demonstrating that she remains capable of competing against elite opponents.
She also recorded a semifinal appearance in São Paulo, offering further evidence of her potential when physical conditions and competitive confidence align.
Those results stand alongside a distinguished record that includes the 2021 Indian Wells title, a career-high ranking of world number two and a Grand Slam semifinal at the 2025 Australian Open.
The contrast illustrates the central challenge of Badosa’s comeback. Her technical ability is well established, but isolated victories have not yet translated into sustained performance across consecutive tournaments.
With events in Guangzhou and Hong Kong approaching, the Spaniard has limited opportunities remaining in 2026 to consolidate her position before preparing for the following season.
Her immediate priorities involve maintaining competitive continuity, defining a sustainable support team and improving results without placing unrealistic expectations on a rapid return to the top of the rankings.
Changing coaches can introduce new perspectives, but it cannot independently resolve every difficulty associated with injuries, match preparation or competitive form.
For Badosa, the Osaka defeat represents an unsuccessful beginning rather than a definitive judgment on her new direction.
The broader question is whether this transition can provide the stability that has eluded her in recent seasons and allow her to compete consistently at the level she has already demonstrated.
Beyond the Score, the Challenge Continues.