PARIS -- Last October, Stefanos Tsitsipas, in a car on his way to an appearance at the ATP Tour tournament in Antwerp, was engaged in a long-distance conversation with a reporter. There had been rumors that his relationship with Paula Badosa had encountered some turbulence.

So, the intrepid journalist asked, are you and Paula still a thing?

Tsitsipas laughed and said, “She’s sitting right next to me, why don’t you ask her?” and handed Badosa the phone.

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“Yeah, he’s OK,” she said coyly. And proceeded at length to describe their plans to travel together in 2024 and, despite the complications of playing on two professional tours, somehow acquiring a Golden Retriever.

Badosa and Tsitsipas, from Spain and Greece, respectively, are a hopelessly attractive power couple for the paparazzi. And so, a global buzz occurred when news of their breakup came three weeks ago.

On Monday at Roland Garros, what might have been Rafael Nadal’s final appearance at the French Open dominated headlines. But as Rafa was preparing for what turned out to be a straight-sets loss to Alexander Zverev, the mixed doubles deadline passed.

And, we can now absolutely, positively, officially confirm that Badosa and Tsitsipas are in the draw on a wild card -- and back together. 

They will open against Japan’s Ena Shibahara and American Nathaniel Lammons. Badosa and Tsitsipas are not the only ATP-WTA couple that will be in mixed doubles action.

Home favorites Ugo Humbert and Tessah Andrianjafitrimo will play together against top seeds Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez.

Czech couple Tomas Machac and Katerina Siniakova will face seventh seeds Su-Wei Hsieh and Jan Zielinski in the first round.

 “The relationship is working very well now,” Badosa told reporters here on Saturday. “I have nothing else to say.”

It’s a tough draw for Tsitsidosa, as they called their joint Instagram account. If they win their opener, No.2 seeds Laura Siegemund and Edouard Roger-Vasselin might await in the second.

Tsitsipas, currently ranked No.9, has had a terrific clay season, winning in Monte Carlo and reaching the final in Barcelona and the quarterfinals in Rome. Badosa, a former World No.2, has been wrestling with a chronic back injury and is 9-10 for the year.

She recognizes the intense interest in the relationship but hopes people will give them a little space.

“I think one of the things that I didn’t like or we didn’t like is that it was very public,” Badosa said. “I still understand that it’s not going to be easy because we are two public people and people will ask, but we want to keep it more for ourselves because it’s never easy to combine our careers.

“Let’s just try to keep it simple for both of us, because I think it helps and it’s healthier.”

The mixed doubles draw is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 29.