Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa, a four-time WTA singles tournament winner, has faced public backlash for an inappropriate gesture captured in a recently published photograph.
The coach of the 26-year-old athlete, Pol Toledo, shared an image where Badosa uses chopsticks to mimic slanted eyes, a gesture deemed offensive and discriminatory towards people of Asian descent.
Following the intense criticism directed at her, Badosa, currently ranked 15th in the world by the WTA, issued several statements apologizing and taking full responsibility for the photo. The Spaniard explained that her intent was not to imitate Asians but rather to poke fun at her wrinkles.
On May 24, it was reported that Badosa has rekindled her romantic relationship with Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world’s 12th-ranked player, three weeks after their breakup.