Paula Badosa was thrilled with the mental strength she showed in a thriller win over Emma Raducanu but also extremely happy to see that her body was still capable of holding up in long matches.
On Friday, former world No. 2 Badosa edged out 2021 US Open champion Raducanu 4-6 7-5 6-4 to reach the Washington semifinal. By beating Raducanu in their first-ever meeting the 26-year-old Spaniard also made her first semifinal since 2023 January.
“Yeah, it was a really tough one. I was expecting already a battle. I know she’s playing very well. She’s been winning a lot of matches lately. Yeah, was a tough one especially under the heat. But, yeah, happy with the win,” Badosa said after edging out Raducanu.
After falling down by a break early and losing the first set, Badosa was struggling to make a breakthrough against Raducanu in the second set as well. But then, Badosa finally got her first break of the match very late in the second set – it happened in the 12th game – when Raducanu was serving to stay in the second set.
But after winning the second set, Badosa found herself 1-3 down early in the third set. However, the Spanish former world No. 2 found a solution to overturn the deficit and still complete her comeback win.
“Especially the way I stayed in the moments I wasn’t playing well. Maybe I was missing a bit. But I’m trying to add some stuff in my game, being a little bit more aggressive, going a little bit more for it. I think in the third set it worked pretty well,” Badosa said.
“I’m proud of that because maybe the matches I lost lately was because I didn’t go for it. Today I did it and it worked. I think that was something that I had on my mind. Yeah, I’m proud of that.”
Badosa on what was going through her mind in probably the key moment of the match
After getting a break back and tying the decider to three games apiece, Badosa faced three consecutive break points in the seventh game. Not only that Badosa saved all of those break points, but she also broke Raducanu in the following game for a 5-3 lead.
Had Raducanu gotten a break in that seventh game, the match certainly could have gone in a completely different direction but this way the momentum went Badosa’s way.
“Look, normally I’m a player that for me it’s very complicated to stay point by point. I think too much. I’m very passionate and emotional sometimes,” Badosa said when asked about what was going through her mind when facing three consecutive break points in the seventh game of the third set.
“In that moment I just like, Okay, Paula, just go point by point. You’re serving well. I was serving very well in the match. The conditions can help me with the serve. I just thought point by point. It worked really well.
“After that I was playing really aggressive and I didn’t let her get in the game. With that, I was proud. Especially when I was serving at 5-3, I think she played unbelievable. But then the return game was pretty good.”
Badosa on how much this result means considering her health condition
After struggling with a back injury for quite some time, Badosa was told by the doctors in March that it was a chronic issue that would never go away. The diagnosis left the 26-year-old Spaniard instantly fearing for her career – and although she has managed to resume her career so far – she has come to terms that her back will never be at 100 percent again and that there will always be certain issues with it.
And after outlasting Raducanu in nearly three hours of grueling battle, Badosa underlined that she still hasn’t given up on the idea of making really big results.
“Yeah, it helps. I’m this kind of player that I’m not happy with quarterfinals, semifinals. It’s something that I’m dealing with with my coach,” Badosa explained.
“He’s like, ‘Be proud of your yourself. You’re doing a great effort after all.’ I’m like, ‘No, until I don’t do a big result, I’m not going to be happy.’
“But I’m trying. I’m trying to value every match. I think I have to do that after a year. It’s my year of a comeback, so it’s never easy. But yeah, my body is responding pretty well. Today I’m very tired, I’m not going to lie. But with the heat and everything, let’s see how I recover for tomorrow. But for the moment my body is responding well. That’s the positive part.”
