Stefanos Tsitsipas has endured a tumultuous year both on and off the court, with his recent breakup with fellow tennis star Paula Badosa weighing heavily on the Greek player’s confidence and performance. In a recent interview, his mother, Julia Salnikova, revealed the emotional toll the relationship had taken on her son.
Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Mother’s Views on His Relationship With Paula Badosa
The couple’s relationship ended in July 2025, but neither Tsitsipas nor Badosa officially announced it. Instead, the two quietly went their separate ways following their disappointing exits at Wimbledon, with both unfollowing each other on Instagram and removing shared photos from their accounts.
The breakup was described by those close to them as mature and mutual, with no third parties or family interference involved. It wasn’t until months later that the split became public knowledge, with Badosa eventually confirming her new relationship status on her birthday in November.
In her recent interview with Pavel Nitkin of Sports.ru, when explicitly asked about how the relationship had affected Tsitsipas, the interviewer suggested that Badosa may have had such a profound impact because Tsitsipas was consumed by tennis during his formative years.
Salnikova didn’t shy away from the question. She acknowledged that the separation had been difficult for her son, confirming that relationships can sometimes hit men harder than expected. She said, “It was certainly an interesting relationship. It wasn’t some ordinary, dull, everyday relationship, because it was long-distance.”
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But what stood out most was her description of the relationship itself. “They both entered this relationship injured and suffering from physical pain. When they started dating, Paula couldn’t play at all because of a back injury,” she explained.
Badosa, in particular, was battling a serious back injury that left her unable to compete when they first got together. Everything about their relationship, according to Salnikova, was challenging right from the start, stating, “The relationship was difficult from the start.”
Tsitsipas and Badosa’s Relationship Timeline
Tsitsipas and Badosa’s relationship began in May 2023 at the Italian Open in Rome. Tsitsipas later revealed that he made a bet with himself to message Badosa if she won her second-round match against Ons Jabeur. She won, and he sent her a congratulatory message that sparked their connection. By June 2023, the couple had unconventionally launched their romance: they changed their Spotify profile pictures to photos of each other and created a shared playlist.
The pair experienced their first major breakup in May 2024 when Badosa announced on Instagram that they had decided to “amicably part ways.” However, the separation lasted only a few weeks. Tsitsipas later explained that after being apart, he realized how much Badosa had supported him. By late May 2024, they reunited and even entered mixed doubles together at the French Open as a couple. However, they couldn’t play due to injury.
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Their physical struggles had loomed large throughout their relationship. When they started dating in 2023, Badosa was dealing with a serious back injury that left her unable to compete. The long-distance setup made their situation even more difficult, with both players battling various injuries.
Their second and final breakup came just days after both players suffered devastating early exits at Wimbledon in July 2025. Badosa lost to Katie Boulter in the first round, while Tsitsipas retired mid-match against Valentin Royer. By November 2025, when Badosa celebrated her 28th birthday in Dubai, she made her relationship status clear by posting photos wearing a sash that read “sexy and single,” signaling she had moved on.
