Overview
- Paula Badosa, who spoke Wednesday in Berlin, described her past relationship with Stefanos Tsitsipas as "toxic" after beating Coco Gauff to reach the Berlin Tennis Open quarterfinals.
- She said the breakup contributed to a mental-health pause after the Madrid Open and helped explain her drop from a top-10 ranking.
- Badosa quipped that Tsitsipas "deserves" media criticism for how the relationship ended, and Aryna Sabalenka sent an immediate, supportive reaction to Badosa’s remarks.
- The split has produced ongoing public exchanges: Tsitsipas has criticized dating fellow players and his mother called the relationship difficult, while Badosa’s coach has pushed back; Tsitsipas has been reported traveling with Kristen Thoms and has not yet started his grass-court season.
- The episode highlights how personal relationships can affect performance and public perception, and it raises what to watch next: Badosa’s run at Wimbledon and whether her candidness shifts how the tour discusses athlete mental health.