Dramatic KO of Badosa in Rome

The Spanish Paula Badosa He would need a few minutes to digest the loss. A tennis player as competitive as he is always needs to relax his emotions after being eliminated from an important tournament. But it won’t take long this time to draw positive conclusions from her performance at the WTA 1000 in Rome.

It was dramatic, the resolution cruel, as they lost 5-7, 6-4 and 6-1 in 2h.26′. This last figure does not do justice to his tennis and he delivers against the world number 3, the American Coco Gauff.

Badosa was physically pierced. There are reasons for this. From recurring back problems to 6h.06′ which he invested in his three previous matches, while his rival played only two and was on court for 3h.32′. And due to injuries he has barely been able to compete regularly for the last eleven months, which translates into a lack of filming moments that define ‘great games’ (this is until its premature end). , which causes nerve damage and fatigue.

As he maintains his strength, Badass He looks more like the world number 2 he used to be than the current 126th, a position he will not hold since he defended the quarterfinals of Rome 2023. He will continue to fall in the rankings, but since that edition at the Foro Italico he has not won three victories in a row, He played four games in the same event.

The Girona native has the first set to frame. With a good serve and dominant with the forehand. Only the asterisk of not closing out the set in the first attempt, as at 5-4 she committed two of her nine double faults in the match, felt the pressure, and dropped her serve. He then made up for it, winning 7-5.

He put his index finger to his temple as he looked at his coach. Pol Toledo. Not only did he perform well, he also overcame a moment of doubt. With your head, without hesitation.

The record has helped Badosa, who won 3 of 4 previous matches against the champion of US Openwhich also has a final of Roland Garros in his record. He defeated Gauff 6-3 and 6-0 in the previous match on land, at Madrid 2023.

Gauff He suffered on serve (11 double faults) but showed the same warrior character Badass. Two gladiators are engaged in combat, also against the wind. Without concessions, in the face of a dog.

Breaks followed each other in the second set, Badosa always recovered from behind: 1-3, 2-4. At 4-4, the resolution favored Gauff. Another episode of nerves from Paula, who served the game blank and with a double fault at 4-6.

The deposit, in reserve, lasted three more games. It was in their hands to go 2-0 up, but in front of them they had a top opponent who knew that every extra minute counted in their favour. Gauff held his own, taking the TKO into a deep Badosa, without another atom of energy. He gave himself everything he had. He almost made it to the quarterfinals, against the Chinese Qinwen Zhengbut his proven progress in the tournament was not enough for more.

In a good line Paula Badosa, despite the difficulties. Roland Garros in sight. If you keep the upward line and the body holds, another opportunity to be positive and ambitious. Crossing our fingers so that what happened twelve months ago doesn’t happen again. Due to the courage of his performance in Rome, he received the bad news of a stress fracture in a vertebra. The beginning of a trial that continued for many months and left consequences for the future.

Coco Gauff, all or nothing, as always. 35 wins and 40 unforced errors. Climbed the net a lot because of the background the high balls of Badass they did a lot of damage. The Spaniard, 18 winners and 32 errors, many of them in the last part, that his legs have stopped.