Tennis News Today: Paula Badosa hilariously calls Novak Djokovic "not really good" player before Paris Olympics QF clash against boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas; Iga Swiatek shed tears after heartbreaking SF loss

Paula Badosa jokingly labeled Novak Djokovic "not really good" tennis player before his Paris Olympics quarterfinal clash with her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas. In other news, Iga Swiatek was reduced to tears following her semifinal loss to China's Zheng Qinwen at the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, Martina Navratilova condemned the International Olympic Committee for permitting controversial athlete Imane Khelif to box at the Summer Olympics in Paris. Novak Djokovic expressed concerns over a potential knee injury resurfacing ahead of the Paris Olympics semifinal against Lorenzo Musetti.

Also, Andy Murray lightened the mood with jokes after a loss in the Paris Olympics' men's doubles event in tennis sent him into retirement.

On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:

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Paula Badosa jokingly critiques Novak Djokovic before boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas' Paris Olympics QF clash

Paula Badosa humorously criticized Novak Djokovic's tennis skills before of his men's singles quarterfinal match against her boyfriend, Stefanos Tsitsipas, at the Paris Olympics.

During an interaction with Events DC at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, Badosa was asked to invite Tsitsipas to the tournament. The Spaniard revealed that she had, but Tsitsipas chose to compete in the Summer Olympics instead.

"I told him to (play at the Citi Open) but he preferred to go to Olympics," Badosa said.

The 26-year-old added that his campaign has been successful so far and jestingly described his upcoming opponent, Djokovic, as "not really good."

"(Tsitsipas is doing) good (at the Olympics). He's playing tomorrow. So the thing is tomorrow he's playing a player that's not really good, Novak," she added.

Paula Badosa defeated Sofia Kenin and third seed Liudmila Samsonova (walkover) en route to the quarterfinals where she will take on Emma Raducanu on August 2. The Spaniard, however, had to abandon the doubles event as her partner Ons Jabeur withdrew due to a right shoulder injury ahead of their quarterfinal match against third seed Ulrikke Eikeri and Ingrid Neel.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, on the other hand, went on to lose 3-6, 6-7(3) to the top seed Novak Djokovic on August 1.

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Iga Swiatek left in tears after Paris Olympics SF loss

Iga Swiatek couldn't hold back her tears after her 6-2, 7-5 loss to China's Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. During her post-match interview, Swiatek was visibly distraught and walked away mid-conversation.

Watch the video here:

Despite the loss, Iga Swiatek remains in contention for an Olympic medal and will compete for bronze against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova on August 2.

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Martina Navratilova voices anger as Italian boxer quits fight against controversial opponent Imane Khelif at Paris Olympics

Martina Navratilova was outraged when Italy's Angel Carini prematurely ended her boxing match against Algeria's Imane Khelif at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Khelif, who was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for failing a gender test, was permitted by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to compete in the women's 66kg category.

Just seconds into the fight, Carini left the ring, sparking Navratilova, a strong opponent of transgender athletes in women's sports, to vent her anger on X.

"Deplorable. This will not end well for the people in power who allowed this to happen," Martina wrote.

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Novak Djokovic fearful of knee injury resurgence before Paris Olympics SF match

Novak Djokovic at the 2024 French Open - (Source: Getty)

Novak Djokovic voiced concern about his knee injury returning following his 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinal at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Djokovic had previously withdrawn before the French Open quarterfinal due to the injury but underwent surgery and rehabilitation to compete in Wimbledon, where he reached the final before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.

During his match against Tsitsipas, Djokovic limped and requested medical assistance. After concluding the match, the Serb reported severe pain in the knee but couldn't pinpoint the reason.

"I am very worried, to be honest. I don’t know what to say. The pain was very strong for two games after it happened. I don’t know if I slipped or what happened," Djokovic said (via a post on X by journalist Sasa Ozmo).

"It resembled Roland Garros, where I managed to close out the match, only to find out that the injury was serious. I pray to God for everything to be OK," he added.

Top seed Novak Djokovic will take on Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinal on August 2.

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Andy Murray jokes about retirement following QF exit in Paris Olympics doubles

Andy Murray made a funny remark about 'never liking' tennis after his final match in the Paris Olympics doubles quarterfinal, where he and his teammate Dan Evans were beaten by Team USA’s Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-4.

After the match, Murray posted on X (the former Twitter) and humorously wrote how he had never enjoyed tennis.

"Never even liked tennis anyway," Murray joked.

Andy Murray, who had announced that the Summer Olympics in Paris would be his final tournament, withdrew from the singles event as he had not fully recovered from his back operation.