Stefanos Tsitsipas has shared that Paula Badosa’s father, Josep Badosa, is his biggest fan on tour. The Greek was last seen competing at the Barcelona Open, where he lost to Arthur Fils in the quarterfinal.
Tstisipas entered Barcelona after a solid quarterfinal appearance in Monte-Carlo. However, after cruising past Reilly Opelka and Sebastian Korda in the first two rounds, he was forced to retire mid-match against Arthur Fils due to injury.
The 26-year-old mentioned that Paula Badosa’s father, Josep Badosa, is his biggest fan on the ATP tour. He hailed Josep’s dedication during a candid interview with the ATP.
“Josep Badosa, Paula’s father. He keeps wearing this Team Tsitsipas just everywhere he goes. There is this one t-shirt that I gave him, he just wears it everywhere,” Stefanos Tsitsipas said
Stefanos Tsitsipas has been in a relationship with Paula Badosa since June 2023. The duo got closer during the 2023 Italian Open and made their relationship official a month later via social media.
Josep Badosa usually maintains a low profile but was present courtside during Paula Badosa’s fourth-round match in the China Open last year. After edging past Jessica Pegula in straight sets, the Spaniard opened up about her equation with her father and thanked him for guiding her in the right direction over the years.
“It never happened, but it’s the first time when my father is here and I want to dedicate this because he never comes on tournaments. He’s out there so, I wouldn’t be here without him so he’s very special and I owe him so much.” Paula Badosa said
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa have both been sidelined due to injury
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa are currently dealing with injury setbacks on their respective tours. While Badosa remains sidelined with a persistent back injury, it is speculated that Tsitsipas may have suffered a similar issue during his quarterfinal match at the Barcelona Open.
The Greek, who is a three-time runner-up in Barcelona, chose to retire 17 minutes into his quarterfinal match against Arthur Fils. While he is yet to share an update on his injury, Fils suspected Tsitsipas may have had a back issue.
“I think it’s his back, but I’m not really sure to be honest. I was ready to battle for a few hours, because he is a champion, and every time we play, we have tough matches. I wish him the best,” Arthur Fils said
Tsitsipas will be determined to recover quickly with the Madrid Open and Italian Open on the horizon. He was one win away from capturing the Madrid Open in 2019, but Novak Djokovic stood in his way in the final.