Paula Badosa is not far from living a dream fortnight at the Australian Open. She who, a year ago, was struggling with back problems which had made her seriously consider retirement, will play her first Grand Slam semi-final on Thursday.
She owes this result to a remarkable performance against the American Coco Gauff, world No. 3, and undefeated since the start of the season with 9 victories in 9 matches. The Spaniard managed to instill doubt in the American’s mind, then almost completely extinguish it in the heat of the Rod Laver Arena, to collect a victory in two sets which remains a surprise on paper (7 -5, 6-4). This is his fourth victory between seven matches against Gauff, who had won their last two duels.
“Coco played incredible Tennis at the start of the match. I am very happy with the way I played to achieve this result,” Badosa told the audience at Rod Laver Arena. Until now, she had never gone beyond the quarters in a Grand Slam (Roland-Garros 2021, US Open 2024) and the eighth in Melbourne (2022). She is also the first Spanish Grand Slam semi-finalist since Garbiñe Muguruza in 2020 at the Australian Open.
This victory is also the first in her career against a Top 3 player since 2021, the year of her peak – she would be world No. 2 – when she won three. “I was one of the very best players in the world but I am a much better player today,” says the 28-year-old. In particular, I manage my emotions better. Not always but sometimes. »
-Badosa with nerves of steel
In this respect in any case, this match will remain exemplary because Gauff faced Badosa-with-nerves-of-steel, a fairly rare species on the circuit, which constitutes the main reason for his victory. The first set was a robust tug of war which brought the two players to 5-5, at which point Badosa began to practice aggressive tennis of exceptional quality which allowed her to break at 6-5 then convert on her serve to her first set point (7-5).
Badosa had gained an upper hand in the match which was never to be denied again. Gauff began to play shorter, to have a lot of waste, especially on the forehand (a few “badfuffs” linked to very tangible stress). Badosa made the entry break after an endless game of 21 points (2-0). And even if Gauff got back to 2-2, it was to better see Badosa fly to 5-2 then, despite a first break leading her to 5-4, to convert on her first match point, on her 15th point winner, a powerful cross forehand.
Badosa will face on Thursday the winner of the match between Aryna Sabalenka (n°1) and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (n°27), scheduled for this Tuesday in the night session before the Djokovic – Alcaraz clash.
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