Watch: 'A few months ago, I didn’t know if I’d be able to play tennis,' Paula Badosa gets emotional after her R3 victory against Daria Kasatkina at Wimbledon

Against Dasha, it's always a battle. She’s such a great player. She’s been at the top for so many years. It’s very special to me. It’s not my first time in the 2nd week of a slam. But it’s the most special… A few months ago, I didn’t know if I’d be able to play tennis. I’ll be so embarrassed about this video after, but it’s okay. Paula Badosa said after the match 

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Badosa has advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon three times, last reaching in 2021 and 2022. Her best performance at a Grand Slam event came in 2021 when she reached the quarterfinals of the French Open.

Paula Badosa retired mid-match last year at Wimbledon due to the back stress fracture 

Paula Badosa suffered the career-threatening back injury last year at Wimbledon during the second round when she was up against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. After losing the first set, the Spaniard was trailing by 0-1 when she decided she couldn’t continue, so she gave the walkover to Kostyuk. When her doctors told her that it would be difficult for her to continue playing while dealing with the chronic back injury, she decided to take cortisone injections. 

In Indian Wells, the doctors told me it would be very complicated to continue my career. They said this is the only option we can give you, and maybe you will have to keep doing that if you want to play for a few more years. Paula Badosa told WTA Insider this year

The 26-year-old will next face the winner of the third-round match between Dayana Yastremska and Donna Vekic. Badosa met Yastremska once and beat her, but if Vekic reaches the fourth round, Badosa would meet her for the first time on the WTA Tour.