Paula Badosa had touched with the idea of reaching her first career Slam semifinal but her dreams were shattered by the American Emma Navarro, who defeated the Spaniard with a score of 6-2 7-5, earning the challenge against Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open last four.
A disappointing elimination, but a path that leaves hope for the future of the Spaniard. in fact, despite having rediscovered good feelings and continuity of results after years conditioned by injuries, Badosa said in a press conference that she felt disappointed by her performance against her American rival and how mental issues had greatly influenced this negative result.
“I’m very disappointed with my level today. I think Emma played very well and handled the situation very well. I was a real disaster. It’s the first time it’s happened to me in my career, losing a set when I was leading 5-1, I don’t think it’s ever happened to me before. There’s always a first time for everything, and unfortunately today it happened to me. I don’t know, I still have to think about what happened. I started making mistakes and I lost, I don’t know, almost 20 points in a row. It’s very strange because I’m a very consistent player, so I didn’t expect it.
Coming from where I come from, I have to be happy. I’m fifteenth in the world, which I didn’t expect maybe a few months ago. So I’m very proud of myself. What makes me who I am today is the Grand Slam, the dream is always to get to the final rounds. With today’s performance, I know that, if it hadn’t been a Slam, I would have done well. That’s why I’m like this today, because I didn’t know how to handle the situation well. Now I have to wait four months for the next Slam, it sucks.” she told.
Paula Badosa© @jmgmoron X account
The Spaniard then complimented her opponent, explaining how there was something in her head that conditioned her during the match.
“In the morning I felt good, but as soon as I entered the court I felt strange. I think it wasn’t the court, but rather the round, and seeing myself sometimes so close and at the same time so far away and with a good level, makes it difficult for the mind to stay focused on the present. My head was everywhere except there, in the present. It’s something I’ve worked on and improved a lot, but it’s also something that has hurt me a lot in my career.
Sometimes I want something so much and think so much about the future that I don’t focus on the moment. Today was a bit like that. Now I say it’s a disaster, but when I started in Washington I would have signed all the results. I’m a very obsessive person, I think about things and I don’t like to make the same mistake twice. This is also what brought me to where I am today, but maybe this also makes me think too much. I will try, especially with my team, to help myself with this obsession,” analyzed Badosa.
Paula Badosa ha sido muy crítica consigo misma tras la derrota sufrida hoy ante Navarro. No fue su mejor partido.
🗣️ “He sido un completo desastre. Es la primera vez que me pasa en mi carrera, perder un set yendo 5-1 arriba creo que nunca me había pasado antes. Tengo que pensar… pic.twitter.com/XDiPtdfRN0
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) September 3, 2024
A few days ago, Badosa, at a press conference after her success over Gabriela Ruse, had talked at length about her countryman Carlos Alcaraz, surprisingly eliminated by the Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp. The Spanish player defended her young countryman, criticized (unfairly) by many media and fans after the sensational defeat suffered in the 2nd round of the US Open.
“When I woke up I read nothing but negative comments about Carlos Alcaraz because he lost in the second round of the US Open. Instead, we should applaud him every day, Carlos. I said to myself: But he won the last two Slams, he won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and he was already number one in the world.
These criticisms surprise me so much. Everyone is human, everyone can lose in any round. Reading this makes me feel bad but I know that it is part of our job and that’s how it is. I didn’t want to read too many things, because I know what happens when Alcaraz loses and it’s not pleasant, but I can imagine it. I didn’t watch the match because I fell asleep, but then I saw his statements.
They say a lot about him. You can see that he is a very humble person, very self-critical and that’s why he is so strong. I think that in the end he did something so good and incredible in the tournaments this summer that there could also be a sort of saturation since at such a young age, it is very difficult to do what he did. It’s a bit of a mix of everything: I don’t know if you put pressure on yourself, sometimes a person sets expectations and then always wants more,” she analyzed.