Paula Badosa Overcomes Coco Gauff to Reach Australian Open Semi-Finals
Paula Badosa, 27, delivered an emotional performance on Tuesday, stunning world number three Coco Gauff, 20, with a 7-5, 6-4 victory in the Australian Open quarter-finals. This marks Badosa’s first Grand Slam semi-final appearance, making her the first Spanish woman to achieve the feat since Garbine Muguruza in 2020.
“I’m a bit emotional,” said Badosa, who will face either two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semi-finals. “I wanted to play my best game, and I think I did. I’m super proud of the level I gave today.”
The victory continues a remarkable comeback for the 11th seed, who was ranked outside the top 100 just a year ago after a stress fracture in her back.
“A year ago, I was here with my back injury, unsure if I’d have to retire from this sport,” Badosa reflected. “Now, I’m in a semi-final, playing against the best in the world. I never imagined this would happen.”
Gauff, who had been unbeaten in nine matches this season, was seeking her first Australian Open title but fell short despite her strong form. She had defeated Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic in the previous round but struggled against Badosa’s relentless aggression.
The Spaniard applied pressure early, securing a crucial break at 5-5 in the first set before serving it out in 56 minutes. Gauff, uncharacteristically, failed to create any break points in the opening set, with unforced errors proving costly.
The second set began with a marathon 14-minute game, where Badosa broke Gauff on her fifth opportunity. Although Gauff fought back to level at 2-2, Badosa’s determination prevailed, as she secured two more breaks to close out the match in 1 hour and 43 minutes.
Falling to the court in celebration, Badosa earned her first win over a top-10 opponent at a Grand Slam, cementing her comeback with a historic performance.
