Badosa: "I draw inspiration from Carlos, he makes the whole country feel proud"

The Catalan expressed her admiration for her compatriot after reaching the semifinals in Beijing and getting closer to the year-end WTA Finals.

Mónica Barberán Munera | 3 Oct 2024 | 15.01
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Paula Badosa at the WTA Beijing 2024. Photo: Getty
Paula Badosa at the WTA Beijing 2024. Photo: Getty

What a great moment Paula Badosa is experiencing. The Spaniard has advanced with honors to the semifinals of the Beijing WTA, reflecting her incredible form once again. She had to defeat the local player Shuai Zhang, who had ended her streak of 29 consecutive losses to start a positive run of 4 wins without dropping a set. However, the Chinese player faced an opponent who is currently in her best form of the season. In the last 5 tournaments she has participated in, Badosa has reached 3 semifinals and secured a title (Washington).

“I started very strongly, with clear ideas and playing very aggressively. Everything was going well for me. In the second set, I think she raised her level. She played more aggressively and came to the net more. In the end, it was a battle that could have gone either way," said the Catalan after her quarterfinal victory over Zhang. “She was playing at a very high level. The ranking doesn't show that, nor the momentum she was experiencing. Also, I knew she was playing with local support, which is always an extra motivation,” she added.

Having overcome that challenge, the most important aspect lies in her health, of course. And it seems that Badosa is managing those back problems that will always accompany her quite well. The break she is taking from it has allowed her to regain her feelings and make a tremendous comeback in results and ranking. About 5 months ago, Paula was ranked 140th, and now she finds herself inside the top 20, moving up.

A potential title in Beijing would propel her back into the top 10 of the ranking for the first time since 2022. It's a goal that Badosa is aiming for, but without becoming obsessed with it. However, it is worth noting the consequences of her time in Beijing and her progress in the last two months. In fact, thinking about the WTA Finals is not out of reach, as it could become a reality if she continues to improve in these coming weeks. She will need to break into the top 8 players of the year. Currently, the Spaniard is 11# in the Race, so all expectations are focused on that.

Alcaraz's triumph, a great boost

For now, Paula must focus on these semifinals against Coco Gauff. It won't be an easy challenge despite her good form, but she has someone to look up to for that extra motivation. Her compatriot Carlos Alcaraz has just been crowned champion in Beijing, and Paula expressed her great admiration. “I am inspired by Carlos, he is great both on and off the court. He is an incredible person and player. I was watching the entire match yesterday against Sinner, cheering for him. He makes the whole country proud; I am a big fan”.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Badosa: "Me inspiro en Carlos, hace que todo el país se sienta orgulloso"