Badosa: "She has played like a No. 1, I could not do more"

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Paula Badosa can leave Open Australia 2025 very satisfied after breaking her Grand Slam barrier, confirming her return to the top 10, and falling to the current two-time champion of the tournament. What more could one ask for? It would have been nice to defeat Aryna Sabalenka today, but the Belarusian showed her best side just when she needed it most. With mixed feelings, the Spaniard attended the press conference to assess a tournament that positions her as one of the rackets expected to achieve something big this season.

Match assessment

"I think I don't have much to say; Aryna's level today was impressive; she played like a No. 1, so I couldn't do much more. The first set was very tight; we both played at a high level, but then in the second set, she began to be very aggressive, and everything was working for her. It was as if everything she touched turned into gold, so I couldn't do anything. Of course, all credit to her; from here, I salute her. She played her best match, not just of the week, but of the last few months."

Turning point with the almost 3-0 lead in the first set

"I can't predict the future; I don't know if I would have gone up 3-0 later on, but what is clear is that right there, she started to raise her level. We will never know if winning that game would have made me win the match or if it wouldn't have changed anything; we will never know."

Post-match conversation in the locker room

"I told her it was unfair for me that she brought out this level precisely today (laughs). Obviously, I expected a great level from her, but perhaps not that much. She told me that she had to play three semifinals before winning her first Grand Slam, that she was very proud of my recent improvement, especially considering all that I have overcome in the past. We were just joking; if I have to lose to someone, I prefer to lose to the world No. 1 and to Aryna. I wish her all the best."

Facing Iga and Aryna

"They are similar in some aspects; they force you to bring out the best in you all the time, push you to the limit. Maybe with them, you have to take more risks; that's the common point I found in my matches. What makes them different is that with Iga, I felt like she physically destroyed me; she is intense all the time, it was like a physical battle within a tennis match. I discovered how fast the legs can move, how fast she can be. With Aryna, it's like constantly receiving winning shots; you feel like you're playing against the PlayStation, you don't even have time to stop and think. They are completely different games, but both demand that you give your best."

Her level compared to the best

"Honestly, it depends on the moment. If you ask me today, when Aryna played one of the five best matches of her life, I will tell you that I am still far. If I were to play the best match of my life, perhaps she would say the same. If we compare it to the match she had in the second or third round, then I am not that far. With Iga, it was similar when we faced each other; it was more even, but if she has a splendid day, I'll tell you that I am far. The important thing is that I am where I want to be, within the top 10 and playing these rounds against the best; that's what makes me happy and motivates me every day."

Return to the top 10

"Maybe I didn't expect this improvement to be so rapid, but my results are there, and next week I will be back in the top 10. In the last few months, I believe I am one of the five players who have won the most matches; for me, that's crazy, a very crazy improvement, especially mentally, to believe in being able to do this again. I know that I was once in the top 10, but not many people can do it twice, so I am very proud of that. It's not easy when you fall out of the top 100 and have to face this type of players in the first round. I am proud to have taken on this journey."

Tournament rating

"I give it a very good rating, a 9. You know what a 10 would be, so for now, I give it a 9."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Badosa: “Ella ha jugado como una Nº1, no pude hacer más”