Paula Badosa was on brink of retirement before shock win over Coco Gauff

Source : ABC NEWS

Mere months ago, Paula Badosa was on the brink of retirement at the age of 26. 

Battling a serious back injury, the Spaniard had drifted far from her career-high ranking of number two in the world in 2022.

She needed a regimen of cortisone shots just to get on the court, and her back wasn’t responding well to the treatment. 

At one point last year, she came close to giving it all up. 

“I was thinking maybe I’m not made for being back again … I was doubting a lot,” she said. 

But Badosa rallied. She made changes to her team, found exercises for her back that worked, and the puzzle pieces started to fall into place. 

She was determined to be named the comeback player of the year in 2024 — a goal she achieved. 

And now the Spaniard has taken down world number three Coco Gauff in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, in the Australian Open quarterfinal.

It’s the biggest upset of the tournament to date, and the shock win has put Badosa into her first ever grand slam semifinal.  

Badosa, who has also been open about her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety, said dealing with difficulty has made her more resilient. 

“I think it changed me,” she said. 

“When I win a match like this, I try to, like, soak it all in. 

“Also, I get emotional because it means a lot for me … I wanted it so much.”

Gauff ‘disappointed but not crushed’

The pair were neck-and-neck in a tight first set, with Badosa finally breaking Gauff at 5-5 and holding her serve to take the set.

After an epic opening service game from Gauff, which went to deuce eight times, Badosa broke early. Gauff levelled but Badosa went went up another break to serve for the set at 5-2. 

Gauff fought fiercely, breaking Badosa and holding to 5-4, but on her second chance to serve for the set, Badosa didn’t miss. 

Gauff appeared to be struggling on her forehand wing, a perennial problem for the American 20-year-old, and one that was exploited to great effect by Badosa. 

“I’m obviously disappointed, but I’m not completely crushed,” Gauff said. 

Gauff made waves as a teen prodigy  who has made a steady rise through the ranks to become a dominant force in the sport. 

She won the 2023 US Open and last year’s WTA Finals, and her strong form going into the Australian Open made her one of the favourites for the title. 

But Gauff was circumspect in defeat. 

“I think the way I played, even though it wasn’t my best, I gave it my all on the court, so that’s something to be proud of. I fought until the end,” she said. 

“Some matches are going to go my way; some are not. 

Badosa will now play either world number one and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, or Russian 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. 

“I will step on the court in the semifinals, I don’t care against who, and I will want to win so badly. That’s part of me,” Badosa said. 

The Spaniard feels she’s getting back to where she’s meant to be.

This time last year she was outside the top 100. Now she’s ranked 12th, and depending on the outcome of the tournament, could be thrust back into the top 10. 

“I was in the past one of the best players in the world. But I feel now I’m a better player, I’m more mature, I think I manage the emotions a little bit better — not always but sometimes,” she said. 

“Even though the level was very high and tough and, of course, there was nerves, I was trying to look up and see the crowd and everything and to appreciate it and to enjoy that moment, because we train for that.” 

“I think it was a beautiful moment.”