Giant Badosa makes history at the Australian Open!

giant Paula BadosaRod Laver Arena’s center court was spectacular. The superlative version of the Spanish woman, 27 years old and world number 12, destroyed the hopes and nerves of number 3, the 20-year-old American woman. Coco Gauffwho have won their past nine matches this season and have the 2023 US Open on their record.

Badosa destroyed North American tennis with enviable power. Solid on serve, a rock in defense and a steamroller in attack. So solid, trusting as never before in its possibilities. He experienced the pain of being a victim of pressure in the quarters. Roland Garros 2021 (Tamara Zidansek) and US Open 2024 (Emma Navarro)he took it off.

Experience helps. Badosa grew, and defeated Coco Gauff by 7-5 and 6-4 in 1h.43′. On Thursday he will face the world number one and two-time champion of the tournament, his Belarusian friend Aryna Sabalenkaor Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

For the third time, the more mature Badosa was able to break the quarter barrier, entering her first Grand Slam semifinal. And it is mathematically assured to return to a top-10 of the world ranking where it has not appeared since the list on October 17, 2022. Whoever becomes No. 2 is temporarily occupying ninth place.

He became the fourth Spaniard to reach this stage in Melbourne, with a desire to match the status of finalists at the next step. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (1994 and 1995), Conchita Martínez (1998) and Garbiñe Muguruza (2020).

This is a tournament missing from the Spanish women’s tennis record, which was resolved in the men’s game. Rafael Nadal with double, waiting for Carlos Alcaraz also register your name in history.

Badosa is huge. He did everything to ensure success. The wall of completing such an important victory remained to be overcome. He didn’t get it at 5-2 and serve, but he did it at 5-4 like a master. Without a doubt, with a strong service. Satisfy, happy, he knelt on the ground. Although there is room for the celebration to be even bigger in the coming days.

Because the second injection controlled the lumbar injury, tennis Badass flowing He has been through a lot in his sporting and life career. A foundation that now helps him face challenges with greater calmness and determination. He has never beaten a top-10 Grand Slam player, he has.

He recalled that “a year ago I didn’t know if I had to retire from tennis,” in reference to acute back injury. He is dealing with everything, since the summer of 2024 he is getting stronger. When he is well, he is a clear candidate for any title and mission.

“Third time’s the charm,” he signed to the television camera. In New York He collapsed from nerves, in Melbourne he broke out. In the semi-finals, Coco Gauff was held. He kept the pulse in a contested opening set, 7-5 in 50′, and didn’t even doubt it in the second.

He made the ‘break’ in an eternal fourteen minute game, with his fifth breaking ball. That 1-0 cemented his ambition, it dampened the morale of a Gauff who fought back with his forehand and a serve that didn’t help him as it had in the first set.

Badosa harassed Gauff, as competitive as he was, so he didn’t give up until he was completely defeated. The American made a desperate attempt to recover from 2-0 to 2-2, preventing the Catalan from scoring 5-2. He prolonged his agony by waiting for help that never came. The one in Begur ended a very good day. He also took revenge for the last two defeats against Gauff, who once again put the balance with him on a positive note: 4-3.