Fate and Vertebrae: Badosa's Withdrawal and the Era of the "Watered-Down Three Sisters"

“With a heavy heart, I must announce my withdrawal from this year's US Open.” When 27-year-old Spanish star Paula Badosa typed these words on social media, she was not just saying goodbye to the last Grand Slam event of 2025, but also mourning the loss of her prime in tennis. The current world No. 12 had to withdraw from the entire North American hard court season, including Washington, Montreal, Cincinnati, and the US Open, due to an unresolved muscle tear in her lower back. The US Open had been a testament to her glory—her quarterfinal finish last year had brought her back into the top twenty.

Badosa's struggles go far beyond this. After losing in the first round of Wimbledon to Bolt, she was sidelined due to injury, marking the latest chapter in her career characterized by interruptions. Before this year's Wimbledon, she had already withdrawn due to injury while facing Wang Xinyu in Berlin, revealing the looming threat of a muscle tear. More harshly, she had confessed to the media: “This is a permanent chronic injury.” The pain has made normal life difficult for her, requiring injections to sustain her career, and she has seriously considered retirement.

Badosa's withdrawal sets off a domino effect: Swiss player Teichmann takes her singles spot, and British rising star Draper's mixed doubles plans are once again dashed. But the more profound impact lies in the collapse of her ranking points—failing to score in the North American season has cost her 1,385 points, erasing the ranking advantage she gained from reaching the Australian Open semifinals, and she is set to fall out of the top twenty. Compared to her glorious achievements last year, which included winning in Washington, reaching the semifinals in Cincinnati, and the quarterfinals in the US Open, her current withdrawal announcement feels more like a requiem.

The former world No. 2 laid bare her feelings on social media: “I wasn't born for easy days. Failure has taught me things that success cannot; it has humbled me and forced me to look within.” Her words are filled with tragic self-redemption. This struggle reflects the collective dilemma faced by the group once dubbed the "Watered-Down Three Sisters"—three stars who once ranked in the top three are now collectively sliding toward the fringes of the tennis world.

The disintegration of the "Watered-Down Three Sisters" is lamentable. Kontaveit has already officially retired, bidding farewell to the tour's smoke; Sakkari is still on the court but has fallen from the elite ranks—her victory over Paolini at this year's Madrid Open has turned out to be a rare highlight for the Greek star. Three former top 3 players, once dominant, are now drifting further away from their past high rankings due to injuries and declining form.

The physical toll of professional tennis is akin to torture. Badosa's injury history reads like a cruel chronicle: withdrawing from the 2023 French Open due to a stress fracture in her spine, frequently pulling out of events in 2024 due to back pain, and suffering recurring muscle tears in 2025. Her body has betrayed her ambitions; even after her impressive performance at the start of the year, defeating Gauff and returning to the semifinals, her mediocrity in the clay and grass seasons has once again proven that pain has become her greatest adversary.

“I wake up every day filled with fear.” Badosa's monologue reveals the lice beneath the glamorous robe of professional tennis. While audiences cheer for the new generation of stars, players like her, struggling with chronic injuries, are experiencing a slow death in their careers. The irony of the "Watered-Down Three Sisters" label lies in its neglect of their remarkable achievements in reaching the top three while obscuring the ruthless jungle law of professional sports.

Badosa left a glimmer of hope in her statement: “Now I must focus on my health and recovery, hoping to return to the court stronger.” But for an athlete with irreversible spinal damage who relies on injections to maintain her performance, such a promise feels more like a reconciliation with fate. As Sabalenka and Swiatek chase glory in Flushing Meadows, Badosa's exit marks the end of an era: they were once filled with great expectations but ultimately trapped in the maze of injuries.

The cruelty of tennis lies not only in the wins and losses. As Badosa turns away from the spotlight of New York, she leaves behind a question about the essence of professional sports: when the body becomes a prison for talent, and rankings turn to fleeting grains of sand, where can an athlete's dignity truly reside? The collective exit of the "Watered-Down Three Sisters" resembles a dissonant requiem—without answers, only echoes. (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Xiaodi)