There is no shortage of top-tier competitors on the WTA tour. With the emergence of star players like Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff in recent times, the job has only gotten harder for players like Paula Badosa, who is looking to regain her dominance on the tour. The Spaniard needs something extra to boost her chances against them. Seeing as her comeback form fell short against AO runner-up Sabalenka, Badosa shared her thoughts on what needs to be improved if she wants an ‘unstoppable’ motion against such rivals.
Badosa returned for the 2025 season on the back of modest results in the second half of last year. She arrived in Melbourne as a strong contender for the Australian Open. The Spanish star outfoxed formidable challenges to set up a quarterfinal date against Coco Gauff and stunned the third-seed before her “best friend” Sabalenka cut her dream run short in the last four. Regardless, she marked her maiden Slam semifinal finish at Melbourne Park and now wants all the smoke in the Middle East.
The 27-year-old jetted for the Abu Dhabi Open and in a pre-tournament interview with the ‘The National’, she talked about improving her level if she wanted to succeed against the top 3 ranked WTA stars – namely Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Gauff. “That’s the tricky part. That’s a challenge now that I have, myself, but also my team, to continue to have all these ambitions – because I’m very ambitious, but to also be like, hey, calm, don’t put so much pressure on yourself,” Badosa said.
Continuing further, she added, “Because I’m a person who always wants more, it’s never enough. So I think that’s the balance we’re trying to find, to enjoy the little things day by day. And when I start to do that properly, it’s when my tennis and my level comes. And of course, adding some things, trying to improve the little things that I’ve seen in Australia that maybe I’ll need if I want to beat players like Aryna or Iga or Coco and all those top players. I always say try to enjoy the journey as much as I can,” she added.
When Paula Badosa opened up about retirement thoughts following a career-threatening injury
Paula Badosa suffered a stress fracture in her back at the Italian Open in 2023. And, what followed was far from pretty. Doctors were clear when they told her that continuing her career would be “complicated.” Cortisone shots for pain relief only worked their magic for so long. However, a training team reshuffle and encouragement from her coach helped her slowly regain momentum, until she finally lifted her first title in nearly two years in Washington, DC.
Speaking to the reporters in the same interview, Badosa said: “I was close, I was close to retirement. What kept me going is that I always had that faith in myself of keep believing, like just give it one more try, one more try. And I think also what kept me going was the passion I have for tennis. I love it.”
“After Madrid was really tough, but I remember making a few changes in my team and mentally I think I’m that kind of personality or character that when I have tough moments, I bring the best out of me, and it’s when I have more strength. So for me, going through that phase in my career and then doing what I did after a few months, I’m incredibly proud of myself,” she added.
With a deep desire to regain her former World No. 2 spot, or even better, Badosa will look to dig deep in Abu Dhabi. She marched past her Round of 16 opponent Linda Noskova in straight sets and now awaits to lock horns with the winner between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Magda Linette for the quarterfinal showdown.
