Badosa knows how to suffer for 2h.30′ to debut with victory in Madrid

Paula Badosa25 years old and world number 42, knows how to suffer for 2h.30′ against the Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto22nd and 50th in the ranking, to debut with a victory in Mutua Madrid is open (6-3, 4-6, 6-4) and meet in the 3rd round with the American Coco Gauff (6th).

PAULA PREVAILS 🙌@paulabadosa Cocciaretto prevails in a 3-set thriller to advance to Madrid!#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/REp6VCbgLH

— wta (@WTA) April 27, 2023

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The Catalan tennis player needs matches and victories to revive a season that was also marked by a muscle injury in his right leg that prevented him from playing in the semifinals of Adelaide WTA against Daria Kasatkina.

That injury sidelined him australia tomorrowthe first grand slam of the year, and since his reappearance he continues to fight to find his best level. His stumble against Beatriz Haddad (Doha) and Lyudmila Samsonova (Dubai) they are two jugs of cold water and, eventually, Elena Rybakina He was eliminated in the 3rd round of both Indian Wells WTA 1,000 like Miami.

Badosa arrives in Madrid after losing in the quarterfinals in his first two clay tournaments, yes, against two of the three best tennis players in the rankings, Jessica Pegula (3rd) in Charleston and Aryna Sabalenka (2nd) last week in Stuttgart.

Paula, who was world number 2 a year ago, pretends but doesn’t hit hard when she faces the best players this year, as happened against Rybakina in Miami or against Sabalenka in Stuttgart (4-6, 6-4 , 6-4). ).

Both times she scored the first set, but her rivals came back after the match: against Rybakina she did not lose a ‘match-ball’ before losing 3-6, 7-5 and 6-3. The Spanish player is clinging to the green shoots of his game to make up lost ground and try to close out matches earlier.

Against Cocciaretto again Badosa forced himself to overexercise himself which could have cost him dearly. The match was on track with 6-3 and 2-0, but then he dropped his serve three times in a row and the Italian leveled the contest (4-6).

The Catalan had four break points to go back to 2-0 in the deciding set, but he squandered a 15-40 lead and two other advantages that proved to be a physical and mental test for him. Paula even called for help with a leg injury, but she persevered and fought for victory despite her obvious discomfort during the clash.

In this context, Paula also raised four break points against the seventh game, with a lot of pride and suffering, especially when she saved a very forced situation with a winning parallel forehand. At 5-4, Badosa played an impeccable return game and sealed his victory with his first ‘match-ball’.

“I was very nervous, but the public helped me a lot. I played well, but I struggled and in the end I played well in the last game,” said the Spaniard on Teledeporte after her victory.

“I would have liked to play more games because the conditions in Madrid are difficult because the ball flies a lot. It’s very hot and I’m very nervous. I really want to do well in Madrid and maybe I’m putting more pressure on myself. Physically I was a little bit to the limit”, acknowledged Badosa, who will seek a spot in the round of 16 against Gauff, whom he led (2-1) in their previous matches.