"I was like, 'Sh*t, he lost the set! Focus'" - Paula Badosa on taking the court at the same time as boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas at Cincinnati Open

Paula Badosa recently reunited with her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2024 Cincinnati Open, following their Canadian Open runs in Toronto and Montreal, respectively. The tennis couple opened their campaigns in Cincinnati on Wednesday, August 14.

Stefanos Tsitsipas had a forgettable start on Center Court, losing the opening set 4-6 to Jan-Lennard Struff. He ultimately staged a comeback victory against the German player 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 after two hours of play.

As it turned out, Paula Badosa was concurrently in action on Grand Stand, which is adjacent to Center Court. The Spaniard had a rather smooth-sailing first match as she defeated home hope Peyton Stearns 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 30 minutes.

During her appearance on the Tennis Channel, Badosa said the loud announcements on Center Court distracted her, and she was all the more invested given it was her boyfriend playing. She unwrapped her emotional rollercoaster, noting that she had to refocus after Tsitsipas lost his opening set.

"It’s not.. look, it’s not easy to play on Grand Stand and hearing his result all the time," she said.

"There was a few times I was like, ‘Sh*t, he lost the set! Paula, focus. Focus on your match,’" Paula Badosa added. "Because you continue hearing him. Yeah, it was not easy playing at the same time."

The former World No. 2 hilariously requested the organizers not to schedule her matches at the same time as her boyfriend's.

"Next time, guys, put me (on at a) different time," she joked.

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"It's better if we focus on our tennis and training" – Stefanos Tsitsipas on his agreement with girlfriend Paula Badosa

Badosa and Tsitsipas pictured at the 2023 US Open Source: Getty

Just last month, Stefanos Tsitsipas revealed that he and his girlfriend, Paula Badosa, decided against attending each other’s matches.

"This is one of the agreements I made with Paula,” he told 20 Minuten.

The former World No. 3 reasoned that the experience can be “draining” and “stressful,” even more so if they are scheduled on outside courts, where fans have easy access to the players.

"Sometimes when she's playing, I have an off day and need to train and just get back into my routine," he said. "It can sometimes be difficult and drain my energy when I'm watching her game on an outdoor court with hundreds of fans asking for autographs."

"I'm also the type of guy who gets stressed out watching her play tennis."

Stefanos Tsitsipas added that although Paula Badosa is welcome to attend his matches, he prefers that they focus on their own training.

"If she wants to watch, she always can. But it's better if we focus on our tennis and our training," he said.

Both Tsitsipas and Badosa have won one title each this season. The Greek clinched his third Monte-Carlo Masters trophy in April. The latter, meanwhile, won her first title in over two years at the WTA 500 Citi Open a couple of weeks ago, following a prolonged struggle with a back injury.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2022 Cincinnati Open finalist, would hope to clinch his fourth Masters 1000 title at the event ahead of the US Open. He faces Jack Draper next. Paula Badosa, who was a quarterfinalist in 2021, is set to take on 13th seed Anna Kalinskaya in the second round.