Paula Badosa maybe didn’t like the next Maria Sharapova label but that doesn’t mean that she didn’t want to face the Russian tennis icon on the court.
Shortly after winning the 2015 French Open junior title, the Spaniard started being compared to the former five-time Grand Slam champion. And there was a good reason for that since she was a tall and powerful hitter. However, that did more harm than good to the current world No. 11, who simply wasn’t ready for those conversations as she later admitted that it put massive pressure and expectations on her.
Over the weekend, Badosa decided to do a little Q&A session on X. And one fan wanted to know which player she wanted to meet but didn’t get a chance.
“Sharapova,” this year’s Australian Open semifinalist replied.
Maria Sharapova
— Paula Badosa (@paulabadosa) March 30, 2025
The Spaniard turned pro in 2015 while Sharapova retired from tennis in 2020 January. While there was definitely time for the Spaniard to meet the Russian, she didn’t enjoy much success in her first couple of years on pro level and that’s one of the biggest reasons why she never met the 2004 Wimbledon champion.
Badosa on why she didn’t like the next Sharapova label
In January, the 27-year-old was a guest on Caroline Garcia’s podcast. There, she addressed the famous label.
“I went through depression and I had mental health problems. Because I was 18, I was a very good junior, but then the step of going to the pro was not easy,” Badosa said on the Tennis Insider Club.
“You start losing, and people expect you to be the next Sharapova. They wondered why I wasn’t in the Top 10 yet, but I wasn’t even in the Top 100 at that moment. The expectations were super high, but my level and mental capacity weren’t ready for that.”
Tennis World USA