Former world number two Paula Badosa withdrew from the Wuhan Open this week, citing a gastrointestinal illness shortly before her scheduled first-round match against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. Tournament organizers confirmed her withdrawal, which came amidst a controversy following an online photo she had posted.
The incident began when British media reported that Badosa shared a photo on Instagram, taken in a Beijing restaurant, where she appeared to use chopsticks to alter the shape of her eyes, a gesture seen as racially insensitive. The image, posted by her coach Pol Toledo, sparked a backlash on social media, prompting Badosa to quickly delete the post.
Apologizing on social media platform X, Badosa expressed regret, explaining that she hadn’t realized the gesture could be perceived as offensive. She acknowledged her mistake, took responsibility, and assured her followers that she would learn from the incident to avoid similar missteps in the future.
In Badosa’s absence, Italian lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti was drawn to replace her in the tournament and will now face Tomljanovic in the opening round.
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