The high-profile tennis romance between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa was ‘complicated from beginning to end’, according to a candid new interview given by Tsitsipas’ mother, Julia.
A Union Forged and Fractured by Tennis
Julia Tsitsipas, a former professional player herself, told Serbian outlet Telegraf that the duo, affectionately dubbed ‘Tsitsidosa’ by fans, both entered their relationship in 2023 ‘traumatised’ by injuries. She revealed that Badosa was not playing at all when they began dating, setting a challenging tone for their union.
The relationship was inherently strained by the relentless demands of the tennis tour. ‘Their relationship was not ordinary, everyday. They were in a long-distance relationship,’ Julia explained. She acknowledged that while Badosa sometimes distracted Stefanos from his tennis, the eventual breakup also hit him hard.
The On-Again, Off-Again Nature of Tsitsidosa
Tsitsipas and Badosa, who captured the tennis world's attention when they went public, experienced a rollercoaster partnership. They first split ‘amicably’ in May 2023, only to reconcile within three weeks. However, by July 2024, the relationship ended for a second and final time.
A source close to the couple told Spanish magazine ¡Hola! that the split occurred after both suffered first-round exits at Wimbledon in London. ‘They were going through a rough patch professionally, with injuries, and that affected their relationship,’ the source said, adding that the pair were ‘shattered’ by their career burdens.
The insider stressed the maturity of the decision, stating: ‘It's a healthy breakup and there were no third parties or family influences… It's between adults who loved each other very much.’ Julia Tsitsipas was also firm in dismissing any notion her son would quit tennis for love, stating, ‘at no time was there a possibility that Stefanos would end his career.’
Moving On: Social Media and Birthday Confirmations
Following the July split, the pair unfollowed each other on social media and scrubbed their profiles of references to one another. Badosa later offered a clear, if playful, confirmation of her single status in November while celebrating her 28th birthday in Dubai.
The Spanish star was photographed holding a sash that read ‘Sexy and single’, alongside a birthday cake declaring her ‘older, wiser and still hotter than ever’. These images, shared with friends, marked a definitive public end to the once-celebrated tennis power couple.
Julia Tsitsipas’ revelations provide a poignant insight into the immense pressure elite athletes face, where personal relationships must constantly navigate the schedules, injuries, and heartbreaks of professional sport. The story of Tsitsidosa serves as a testament to how even the strongest bonds can be tested by the global, high-stakes world of tennis.
