“I’ve been through a lot. I think I was, in the past, one of the best players in the world, but now I’m a better player. I’m more mature, and I think I manage the emotions a little better—not always, but sometimes!”
Badosa has dropped just one set in Melbourne and could now face good friend Sabalenka for the chance to reach her first major final.
Sabalenka famously comforted Badosa on court at last spring’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, when the Spaniard was again forced to retire from a match due to injury.
“When I had to retire during our match there, I was crying so much and she was saying in my ear, ‘Don’t worry: you’ll be back to the Top 10 very soon,’” Badosa recalled back in Cincinnati.
Indeed, Badosa is tentatively projected to rise back to No. 9 in the rankings, which would mark her first time in the Top 10 since dropping out at the end of 2022.
As for Gauff, it was a disappointing end to what had been a revelatory stretch for the 2023 US Open champion, who ended last season with a run to the WTA Finals title. Looking to revamp her serve and forehand under new coach Matt Daly, Gauff found herself let down by both shots against Badosa, ending the match with 41 unforced errors.
