Paula Badosa‘s performance graph has experienced an uptrend in the last few months. Although the WTA star had to face the ups and downs of competition throughout the season, she finally managed to regain the momentum. Right after the unexpected second-round exit at the Canadian Open, the Spaniard showed magical changes in her form and therefore secured remarkable positions in Cincinnati, the US Open, and finally the China Open. However, after her defeat against Coco Gauff in Beijing, Badosa seems to need a break.

The WTA tour situation is not easy for the players. Iga Swiatek, who has been keeping a distance from competition because of undisclosed reasons, took away some of the spotlight from the WTA 1000 event in Wuhan, as she withdrew from the tournament. Besides her, Elena Rybakina, who is also looking to set things right for herself in terms of fitness, announced her exit from the event. While there already were enough names removed from the list, Badosa also decided to back out in a sudden move.

It was on Saturday that the Spaniard had to face the wrath of Coco Gauff at the China Open. Although Badosa started off well and got the first set to her name, the former US Open champion took control and therefore turned the tables, walking out of the court with a massive 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win. Badosa has been pushing herself a lot for a long time, which could probably be the reason behind her sudden decision to back out of the main draw in Wuhan.

With no official announcement from herself or her team so far though, there are still assumptions about the accurate rationale behind Badosa’s withdrawal. However, the reports suggest that the player has withdrawn because of gastrointestinal illness. The news of Badosa’s withdrawal was shared on X by the renowned tennis journalist Jose Morgado.

This update showed up just a few hours after Karolina Muchova, the China Open finalist who lost to Coco Gauff, also announced her exit from the WTA 1000 event. Although Badosa hasn’t dropped any official update so far, Muchova kept her fans posted with an honest admission. “Hi everyone. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to compete in Wuhan this year. After a tough schedule in Beijing, I need a bit more time to fully recover. Looking forward to seeing you all in Ningbo next week,” she shared on her Instagram account. The withdrawal of so many players from the Wuhan Open has reignited the concerns that Swiatek shared a while back, about the packed tennis calendar.

When Iga Swiatek highlighted the concerns about the hectic tennis schedule

Iga Swiatek, earlier in the ongoing season, voiced concerns about the sport’s demanding schedule. Ahead of her second-round match at the US Open, the five-time Grand Slam champion said athletes should be consulted more about the decisions that impact them directly. “We want to at least be in the loop. It would be nice for us to have some impact because I don’t think our sport is going in the right direction,” Swiatek said, stressing the need for the players to be heard.

Swiatek’s comments came amid rising frustrations from many players over tennis’ packed calendar, extended tournaments, and new rules requiring participation in more events. She pointed out the risks these changes pose to athletes’ well-being. And it was not during the US Open only that Switek raised this issue. She previously expressed similar concerns during a TV interview at the Cincinnati Open as well. However, her remarks sparked backlash from former player Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who responded dismissively on social media, asking, “Is someone pushing you to play???”

As Swiatek continues to find her momentum back, her words appear to be coming true. With not just her but several other players facing the wrath of harsh scheduling, it seems to be high time that the authorities take players’ remarks into consideration.