Paula Badosa is ready to reignite her passion with tennis after nearly quitting the sport earlier this year.
The Spaniard suffered some brutal lows during the season but has now found her form in America.
After winning the title in Washington, Badosa is now into the second week of the US Open after a tight 4-6 6-1 7-6(8) win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Speaking of the match Badosa was pleased with the win as she controlled her emotions to seal a significant milestone in her comeback from injury, “I had to keep up there, so I’m really happy I accepted that moment,” Badosa stated.
“I fought through it. I think the tiebreak was — you never know in a tiebreak, but I think I handled the emotions and the pressure pretty well, and I’m happy I won the match.”
It’s been a tough season for Badosa with the highs being high but the lows have been very tough.
Reflecting on her season Badosa revealed that she nearly quit tennis as she is looking to reignite her love for the sport, “Yeah, I mean, the low point for me was at the middle of the season. It was really bad,” Badosa explained.
“Coming from the injury in the beginning you never know what to expect. At the beginning of the season I was okay, but after all seeing that I was struggling also with my back, it wasn’t responding well. My results weren’t what I was expecting in that moment. So it was really bad. There was moments, especially after Madrid, that I didn’t know what to do.
“In my mind I was thinking, like, maybe I should quit because if I’m not in the highest level, I don’t want to play this sport. I don’t want to be in the ranking I was in that moment. For me it doesn’t make sense. That’s how I am as my personality. So if I’m not on the top or in the best players in the world, I don’t want to play this sport.
“In that moment I was playing really bad, and I wasn’t finding the solution, but I had no other option than to be with my team, stick with them, trust the process as we say. I think the process was good. I was working well, but I just needed time and patience. Also, I needed my back to respond. It came all after I think after the clay court season, before the grass. I started to feel better. You know, you slowly win matches.
“You start to believe in yourself. The most important, that my back was responding really well. After that I think I lost very close matches there, but the level was there. Well, finally here in the U.S. swing I could prove it. I think all my work paid off.”
Badosa’s work has indeed paid off as the Spaniard is seeded for the US Open and now into the last 16.
Next up for the Spaniard will be Yafan Wang as she bids to reach the quarter-finals in New York for the first time in her career.
