Just a few months ago, Paula Badosa was on the verge of retirement at 26 years old.
Battling a serious back injury, the Spaniard had come a long way from her career-high ranking of world number two in 2022.
He needed a regimen of cortisone injections just to get on the court and his back did not respond well to the treatment.
At one point last year, he was on the verge of giving up everything.
“I was thinking maybe I’m not cut out to come back again… I was hesitating a lot,” she said.
Paula Badosa has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam three times, but this is the first time she has reached the semifinals. (Getty Images: Robert Prange)
But Badosa recovered. He made changes to his equipment, found exercises for his back that worked, and the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.
She was determined to be named comeback player of the year in 2024, a goal she achieved.
And now the Spaniard has defeated the world number three, Coco Gauff, in straight units, 7-5, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
It’s the biggest upset of the tournament to date, and the stunning victory has put Badosa into her first Grand Slam semi-final.
Badosa, who has also been open about her mental health issues with depression and anxiety, said that dealing with difficulties has made her more resilient.
“I think it changed me,” he said.
“When I win a game like this, I try to take it all in.
“Also, I get excited because it means a lot to me… I wanted it so much.”
Gauff “disappointed but not crushed”
The pair went head-to-head in a tight first set, with Badosa finally breaking Gauff at 5-5 and holding serve to take the set.
An exasperated Coco Gauff produced a series of forehand errors. (Getty Images: Hannah Peters)
After an epic opening service game from Gauff, who went to deuce eight times, Badosa broke early. Gauff tied but Badosa went for another break to serve for the set at 5-2.
Gauff fought fiercely, breaking Badosa and keeping it at 5-4, but on her second opportunity to serve for the set, Badosa did not miss.
Gauff seemed to be struggling with her right wing, a perennial problem for the 20-year-old American, and one that Badosa exploited to great effect.
“I’m obviously disappointed, but not completely gutted,” Gauff said.
Gauff made waves as a teenage prodigy who has steadily risen through the ranks to become a dominant force in the sport.
Coco Gauff was able to find solutions on the court against her former opponent Belinda Bencic. (Getty Images: Janelle St Pierre)
She won the 2023 US Open and last year’s WTA Finals, and her good form heading into the Australian Open made her one of the favorites for the title.
But Gauff was cautious in the face of defeat.
“I think the way I played, even though it wasn’t my best moment, I gave it my all on the court, so that’s something to be proud of. “I fought until the end,” he said.
“Some games are going to go the way I want, others won’t.
“Maybe a couple of years ago I would have felt a lot more crushed and a ‘the world is ending’ sadness, but now I think it’s a disappointment that I could have done a little better in some areas.”
Badosa will now play against world number one and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or Russian number 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
“I will enter the court in the semifinals, I don’t care who against, and I will really want to win. That’s part of me,” Badosa said.
Badosa could face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)
The Spaniard feels that she is returning to where she should be.
Last year at this time he was outside the prime 100. Now he is in 12th place and, depending on the result of the tournament, he could return to the prime 10.
“In the past I was one of the best players in the world. But now I feel like I’m a better player, I’m more mature, I think I handle emotions a little better, not always, but sometimes,” she said. saying.
“Even though the level was very high and tough and of course there were nerves, I was trying to look up and see the crowd and everything and appreciate it and enjoy that moment, because we trained for that.”
“I think it was a beautiful moment.”
