Paula Badosa Withdraws From Wuhan Open Amid Racism Row

Former world number two, Paula Badosa, has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, tournament organizers announced on Tuesday, citing a gastrointestinal illness. The Spaniard’s withdrawal came just hours before her scheduled first-round match against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. This follows reports from outlets like The Telegraph, which revealed that Badosa had become embroiled in a racism controversy over a photo she posted online.

The image, shared on Instagram by her coach Pol Toledo, showed Badosa in a Beijing restaurant, where she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo, taken during her time at the China Open where she reached the semi-finals, sparked outrage on social media and has since been deleted.

On Monday, Badosa issued an apology on the social media platform X, acknowledging her mistake: “Hey guys! Really sorry, didn’t know this was offensive towards racism. My mistake. I take full responsibility. These mistakes will make me learn for next time. Hope you understand.”

As a result of her withdrawal, Badosa was replaced by lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti of Italy, who will now face Tomljanovic.