It has been 10 months since Paula Badosa was informed by her doctors that her career might be over. During the 2023 tennis season, not long after she had stood as the No 2 player in the world, Badosa suffered a debilitating stress fracture in her back that had left her in significant pain and forced her to withdraw from every grand slam tournament that year. By last March, the 27 year-old was fighting for her career.

The initial resolution was cortisone injections to manage the immediate pain and inflammation, allowing her to return to the tour even though her long-term future remained uncertain. She has used her time back in the sport incredibly well. Having spent the past nine months faithfully re-establishing her spot among the elite, Badosa broke completely new ground on Tuesday by reaching the semi-final of a grand slam tournament for the first time in her career.

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