Following a 2025 season marred by injury, Paula Badosa will have been hoping to start the 2026 tennis season on the right foot.
The Spaniard did just that, defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 in her opening match at the Brisbane International.
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On Thursday, her hopes of winning the title were quashed by Elena Rybakina; the Kazakhstani star defeated Badosa 6-3, 6-2 and has now won 13 consecutive matches on the WTA Tour.
Badosa, the world number 25, will now look ahead to the Australian Open, where she reached the semi-finals in 2025.
Paula Badosa reacts to her loss in Brisbane
In a post on Instagram, Badosa said: “Progress isn’t always loud I guess… sometimes it’s just showing up again. We keep moving and improving.
“Thank you Brisbane International, it’s always a pleasure.”
Badosa is set to fall one place in the WTA rankings following her loss to Rybakina on Thursday.
This is because Marta Kostyuk is set to rise three places in the rankings following her victory over Amanda Anisimova on Thursday afternoon.
Badosa is set to travel to Adelaide for her next tournament. The Adelaide Open is a WTA 500 event that is set to run from January 12 to 17.
Paula Badosa’s main goal for 2026
Forget the results. Paula Badosa’s one goal for this year should be to stay physically healthy
Badosa dealt with a chronic back issue throughout 2025, forcing her to miss some of the biggest tournaments on the WTA calendar.
What is your bold prediction for the 2026 tennis season?
When fit, Badosa is one of the most dangerous players on the WTA Tour; as proven by her run to the 2025 Australian Open semi-finals.
One hopes that Badosa stays healthy and advances far at the Australian Open. Otherwise, she risks losing up to 780 WTA points.
