Badosa is declared enemy No. 1 at the US Open
When the Spanish Paula Badosa appears in a Grand Slam draw, the previous results or what position in the ranking it may be in does not matter. Everyone knows that the Catalan, 28 years old and currently No. 87 in the world, is capable of any sporting atrocity if her physique respects her. Because tennis had, has and will have to give and take.
Few can afford to go a month without competing, not step on the hard court in competition and stand at the US Open as if they had taken a pristine preparation tour. No, Badosa had not played since July, when he chained 11 wins in 13 matches on clay: WTA 125 champion in Bastad, finalist in Iasi and quarterfinalist in Hamburg.
A loot that gave her confidence and some essential ranking points to enter directly into the US Open draw, from which she was dropped in 2025 after having been a quarterfinalist in 2024.
He returned on a dog day in New York, which led him to have to return to the hotel without finishing the job. Tuesday’s day started four hours late due to rain, which postponed their match against the Australian for another two and a half Daria Kasatkina29 years old and number 61. The game was stopped at 6-1, 1-2. In a situation of maximum suspense, there was another stoppage, just after Paula Badosa did not certify her victory with a third match point, first with serve. It was final, no more tennis.
After a brief wait on the field, under the umbrella, 40 more minutes waiting for the cancellation. Back this Wednesday with 6-1, 5-4, deuce. And Badosa finished off with cold blood, who needed six more match points, to certify in the ninth set with an ace. Definitive victory by 6-1 and 6-4 in 1h.49′, after sixteen tense points to close the tenth and final game, the one that had been left halfway.
The pupil of Pol Toledo She kept her serve intact, despite the fact that in the initial game, nervously, she committed three double faults and had to overcome three break balls. He also saved two in the eighth game of the second set, which allowed him to establish his advantage, go ahead 5-3, and put himself within reach of a classification that was long in coming but ended up arriving. Not before saving two other breaking balls that would have given life to the rival.
Magnificent start and behavior of Paula Badosa, already converted into enemy number one in the US Open, who fears that her quality will break the triumphant streak of the 2023 local champion, the American Coco Gauff, 22 years old and number 4, who beat the Turkish indoors Zeynep Sonmez by 6-3 and 6-4.
Gauff’s series is impressive: Wimbledon semi-finalist, Toronto semi-finalist and champion in Cincinnati. Seven games undefeated, they have won 16 of the last 18 games, 11 of 12 of the most recent.
But this Thursday she will face Paula Badosa, who usually thrives against top opponents on the biggest stages of world tennis. And the balance between the Spanish and the American underlines how little people like Coco Gauff find it.
Badosa dominates the ‘head to head’ match 5-3, 3-2 on the hard court. He dominated the two most recent antecedents. This season, on the grass in Berlin, they won 1-6, 6-3 and 6-2. In the 2025 Australian Open, their previous hard-court duel, the Catalan won 7-5, 6-4.
A background that invites Badosa to dream and that represents an element to handle psychologically for a Gauff who is strong this summer, although she can get trapped if her nerves flourish. Interesting. On Thursday’s day.
With another interesting duel of a Spanish woman against one of the contenders for the title and world No. 1, who is provisionally hers according to the points after the opening round of the US Open. The Galician Jessica Bouzas she beat the Czech Darja Vidmanova 6-3 and 6-4, she will face the Kazakh Elena Rybakinawho eliminated the 17-year-old American Thea Frodin, 6-3 and 6-2.
