Badosa logs off social media “to protect herself”

The Spanish player, quarter finalist in 2021 at Roland-Garros, is learning to manage new expectations as a Top 5 player now

Paula Badosa at Roland-Garros in 2021 © Federico Pestellini / Panoramic

Tennis Majors

May 21, 2022

Paula Badosa confirmed that she decided to log off social media networks and reading the general media to avoid negative comments, as she aims to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career at Roland-Garros this year.

The Spaniard reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart but lose early in Madrid and Rome before arriving in Paris where she is seeded No 3.

“I was feeling so much pressure, I think I lost these past two weeks in maybe early rounds, but they were very tough players (Halep in Madrid and Kasatkina in Rome, editor’s note). So it could be an option that I lose against these kind of players. I felt that maybe press, especially at home, was very mean in that case, because what I’m trying to do is just my job well and try to raise — I give my 100% every day.”

“And of course I’m the first one that doesn’t want to lose and I’m already hard on myself, so I don’t need these kind of extra comments. It doesn’t help my confidence, either. I’m not a robot. So these kind of things, I decided not to read anymore”, said Badosa, during a press conference on Friday, before the tournament of the Roland-Garros. Now ranked No 3 in the world, Badosa has not reached the final on the WTA Tour since winning the trophy in Sydney in January.

Badosa added: “So I’m sorry if someone is tagging me on Twitter or Instagram, because I’m not seeing it. But jokes aside. I think it was the first step to protect myself”.

“Amazing to have the fans, the atmosphere, the energy again”: Badosa

But Badosa also had nice words on the energy she would take from the crowd in Roland-Garros, the first played in normal conditions since 2019 and the first ever welcoming 45,000 people per day thanks to the night sessions.

“That’s helpful, and that’s amazing to have again the fans, the atmosphere, the energy. I think the players, we already feel that, and I think it’s very nice. Especially in my opinion in my case, I like to play with fans, and I like to feel that energy. Here, I came as a fan years ago when I was a little girl, so it’s always been special. I always felt that love from them, and I think that fans help you perform. “

“Like when tough moments, you feel like there are people supporting you, you feel their words and their energy. I think it’s very nice to have back the fans and that also means we are back to normal and slowly we are getting back there, but that’s very good news”, she smiled.

Badosa will face the French wild card Fiona Ferro in the first round of this year’s tournament.