Paula Badosa has confessed that she will have to retire prematurely due to a chronic back injury. In a heartbreaking interview, the Spaniard revealed that she is putting off surgery until she has quit the sport.

Badosa takes painkillers to play through the ongoing problem. The 27-year-old accepts that prolonging going under the knife could have a negative impact on her long-term health. She says she wakes up ‘afraid’ every morning but will continue to play until her medical team insists she can continue no longer, which she hopes will not happen until her early 30s.

Asked about an early retirement, Badosa told Eurosport: “I've accepted it. Having such a strong character has helped me accept this over time, I know that I am going to retire young and the next day I will go straight to the operating room. I know this from the race I'm in and from the problems I have with my back.

“For me to retire, the doctors would have to tell me [to quit], and I am in daily contact with them. I have told him many times: until you operate on me and there is no longer a solution, I will continue with the injections, even knowing how bad they feel for me and how harmful they are to the body.

“Tennis gives me a lot, day to day life, I'm so passionate about it. If they tell me to stop at 30 or 32, then fine, but if I can endure it in some way, then I'm going to try.

Badosa confirmed that her injury will exist even after her retirement. She continued: “[It will last] forever, it's a chronic injury. The thing is that this time is different, I still have the pain on my right side under control, but now it comes suddenly and touches my nerve. It's like a hernia that has moved, I could play with this, the problem is that it's touching my nerve. With this, I can't even lead a normal life.

“Every day I wake up afraid. I'm not joking to you, this week I had to send messages to Pol (Toledo) at 05:00 in the morning because I couldn't sleep, I can't with the question of whether my back will be fine that day or if I will be able to lead a normal life. Mentally it is what is costing me the most.”

Badosa’s back recently forced her to withdraw from the Madrid Open ahead of the second round. The former world No. 2 hopes to be fit for the French Open later this month.