Paula Badosa secured her maiden US Open quarterfinal spot on Sunday, defeating Wang Yafan amidst New York's oppressive humidity, and celebrated her remarkable comeback from a serious injury that could have ended her career. The Spanish 26th seed triumphed 6-1, 6-2, marking her most significant Grand Slam achievement since contemplating retirement earlier this year. Despite the lopsided score, the initial two games on Sunday stretched to 17 minutes, with Badosa fending off all eight break points against her.
"The humidity was so intense, I felt like I was going to perish," the 26-year-old, born in New York, remarked about the 85 percent humidity at noon. "I knew she was a formidable opponent, but I consider myself even tougher." Badosa is the first Spanish woman to advance to the quarterfinals since Carla Suarez Navarro in 2018, and it's been 28 years since a Spaniard last reached the semifinals, a feat achieved by Conchita Martinez in 1996.
Her journey to the quarterfinals signifies a dramatic reversal of Badosa's fortunes. She sustained a stress fracture in her back at Wimbledon last year, which sidelined her for the remainder of the season. The former world number two made a comeback in January but had to retire from three tournaments due to persistent back issues affecting her confidence and physical condition. By the end of the clay court season, her ranking had dropped to 139, prompting thoughts of retirement.
"I was in pain every morning when I woke up. It seemed pointless. Tennis lost its meaning if I wasn't competing at the highest level," she explained. "I aspire to play on major stages, reach the latter rounds of every tournament, and be among the elite players in the world. That's when I feel motivated and excited daily. Otherwise, being in the ranking I was just two months ago made no sense and was mentally challenging for me."
A stellar run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in July reignited her passion, followed by a hard court title win in Washington that propelled her back into the top 40. A semifinal run in Cincinnati reestablished her in the top 30. "I always believed in myself, in my ability to make a comeback," she stated. "I understood it would be a process requiring trust and patience, but I told my coach, I'm giving myself this year to see if it can work out." She concluded, "It's working out, so I'm content with that."
