Players’ Voice with Paula Badosa: “People need to understand that players are not robots”

As she prepares to begin the defense of her title in California (March 9 to 20, 2022), the Spaniard looks back on her last months on the circuit, her resilience in her good performances. Above all, the New York native in turn evokes the importance for athletes to open up and discuss their psychological health.

To be the best player in the world is something I have always dreamed of, but my first dream, since I was very young, is to win a Grand Slam. This is the reason why I wake up every morning: to become a Grand Slam winner one day.

2021 has been a very important year for me and a big step in realizing this dream. I think I had hit a sort of glass ceiling so far by only making the semi-finals. Winning my first tournament in Belgrade was a relief and a great emotion, it took a weight off my shoulders. This win gave me a lot of confidence and I think that’s when it all came together. My tennis has improved and I have grown mentally.

A few months later, I won Indian Wells, a dream come true. It’s not a Grand Slam, but it’s a WTA 1000 and a very important tournament. The final against Victoria Azarenka was something spectacular. Sometimes in a final your nerves can get in the way of you having a good game, but we both played at a very high level. It meant a lot to beat a player like her.

The biggest learning I learned from this match was the awareness of my own mental strength. There will always be tough times on the court, there are always fears and it’s a constant battle so knowing that you can overcome those fears is really important. Fear of losing can kill you and there is no quick fix. It is a process where you always have to move forward. I think the key is to just face your fears no matter how hard you go through them and just believe that the bad times don’t define you.

I would always recommend surrounding yourself with the right people. When you’re unsure about your performance and facing challenges, it’s very important to talk about it, especially with mental health professionals like psychologists or coaches. Few people can keep playing or moving forward if they internalize negative thoughts and feelings.

Thanks to athletes like Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka and Álex Abrines, there has been a lot of talking and talking about athletes’ personal experiences with mental health. I think these discussions are very important because at the end of the day, mental health must be an integral part of our daily lives. People need to understand that athletes are not robots. We’ll try to give 100%, but it’s just not realistic to be that way 100% of the time.

Social networks have been great for conducting these kinds of conversations, but they can sometimes be dangerous, especially with this aspect of “proximity” that accompanies them. When I think of young players like Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, I want them to try not to pay too much attention to what they can see there because it could hurt them a lot. No matter how well they perform on the tennis court, I fear they are not yet ready to bear all the weight and pressures that inevitably come with social media.

I’ve suffered from it myself and wouldn’t want others to experience it, but ultimately it’s part of tennis and it’s the price to pay for success. I have a good relationship with Carlos and we talk often. So I’m going to give him some advice: you have to have a good environment, surround yourself with the right people, work hard and listen as little as possible to what comes from outside. We can’t control the outside, but what we can manage on our side is just trying to do our best.

Rafa Nadal is the reference for me. He is a worker, a warrior and he has great mental strength. I admire him more and more. In terms of results, I’m never going to approach him, but now that I’m one of the best players in the world, I can understand the pressures you can have at this level. I can see how perfectly he handles them. To me, he’s ‘mentally off this planet’ and that’s even more inspiring. He was always an example I looked up to when I faced tough times. If I want to imitate someone, it’s Rafa Nadal.

I think it’s extremely important to find time for yourself during tournaments to disconnect properly. I used to stay in the hotel room, but now I try to explore the cities where I stay, to learn more about their culture. As we travel all year round and play tennis almost every day, being locked up in a hotel room is neither healthy nor good for anyone. I like to do simple things and since I usually don’t have time to lead a normal life… When I’m in Madrid for example, I like shopping, going to the cinema and to restaurants. These are big events for me!

Coming back to Spain is especially special now because of the love I get from the fans…I get goosebumps just thinking about this recognition. I work very hard and sweat a lot to get where I am. Having their support is the best reward for telling me that it’s all worth it. What has happened to me in the last twelve months is truly amazing and I’m still not sure how much I’ve achieved. But I live day to day and I try to value the goals that I have already achieved so far.