Unable to Handle Maria Sharapova Comparisons, Spanish WTA Star Reveals How Naomi Osaka Helped Her -‘People See It As..’

Spain has given tennis some of the greatest tennis players of all time and it continues to do so. Apart from Rafael Nadal, we have seen the rise of Carlos Alcaraz Garfia and Paula Badosa. The 25-year-old found herself being compared to Maria Sharapova. Moreover, she recently opened up about her mental health struggles, showing solidarity with Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles.

The journey of mental health and conversations around it in the sporting realm has come a long way. Badosa opened up about her own issues and elaborated on society’s perception of such topics.

Paula Badosa on how Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka changed the narrative around mental health

When Naomi Osaka publicly stepped back from French Open in 2021 citing her mental health reasons, it caused an uproar in the community. Then came the world-renowned gymnast Simone Biles who again raised the debate around it.

The Spanish player Paula Badosa too opened up about her mental health and confessed that she has gone through depression. In an interview with Marca, she talked about mental health as a taboo-laden topic even when people around the world are talking about it. She stated, “It was, and it is, although it is improving a lot thanks to the testimony of athletes like Simone Biles or Naomi Osaka, among others.”

Especially for sports personalities, strength, and stamina is a must. So, people assume they should be strong mentally. Badosa refuted that and said, “People see it as a sign of weakness and it’s the complete opposite. A head is not prepared the same at 18 years as at 35 to manage certain things.”

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Tennis players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been on tour for long enough to deal with stress and pressure. However, young players need time and the constant comparison with tennis personalities only adds to the pressure.

How did the comparison between Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova hurt Badosa?

The tendency to find the next Rafa or the next Maria Sharapova can be understood. However, the pressure that it brings on the young players is quite detrimental.

In the same interview with Marca, she stated the comparison with Sharapova was quite detrimental. She stated, “Everyone expected me to be top ten at 18 and was not physically, mentally, or biologically ready for it.”

Previously too, in an interview with Marca, she stated she wanted to do better than her present self. However, the demands of people are often too challenging. Venting out her frustration, she stated she is not Rafael Nadal. 

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This issue of continuous comparison has hurt a lot of young players in maintaining their consistency. Do you think players should not get affected by such comments? Let us know your views in the comments below.