Competing in tennis is hard, but Paula Badosa finds watching her boyfriend, Stefanos Tsitsipas, even harder.
Badosa is in Washington for the Citi Open and will face Sofia Kenin in the first round. She chose to skip the Olympic Games in Paris to be here.
Her decision surprised many because she’s great on clay courts and the Olympics are a big deal.
Why Badosa Skipped the Olympics:
Badosa prefers tournaments that give ranking points, unlike the Olympics. This has been a controversial topic as some believe Olympic success should be rewarded with points. But that’s not changing anytime soon, so players like Badosa will gain points in Washington instead. Meanwhile, Tsitsipas is at the Olympics.
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Tsitsipas excels on clay and has won multiple titles at Monte-Carlo. He was also runner-up at the French Open in 2021. The Olympics being held at Roland-Garros gives him a unique shot at winning a medal.
Though they’re both playing different tournaments now, they usually don’t watch each other’s matches on TV. Tsitsipas has already explained why they avoid doing this.
In an interview with La Vanguardia, Badosa shared why she finds it tougher to watch Tsitsipas play than playing herself: “I would probably say that you suffer more off the court because you can’t do anything to come in and help him. And when you’re playing, in the end, you yourself have that control.”
Fans might think it’s sweet how much they care about each other.
Badosa’s feelings make sense; she wants to help but can’t from the stands. She also talked about balancing their relationship amid their competitive careers: “Both realities are present: we empathize a lot with each other, but we are also two tremendously competitive people,” adding that their relationship thrives on mutual respect and understanding.
Living under constant public scrutiny is tough for any tennis player. For top players like Badosa and Tsitsipas dating each other, it adds extra pressure and anxiety.
During her chat with La Vanguardia, Badosa spoke clearly about handling her public relationship with Tsitsipas. Her insights might help them manage stress better.
What do you think of their relationship?
