A few months after she considered quitting the sport, Paula Badosa is into her first US Open quarter-final. Despite being only 26 years old, a stress fracture of the back had some doctors advising retirement and it is only with regular cortisone injections to manage the pain that she is able to compete.
Badosa, who spent the first seven years of her life in Manhattan before her Spanish parents moved to Barcelona, thrashed China’s Yafan Wang 6-1, 6-2 in the fourth round Sunday.
‘A few months ago, I was thinking to quit this sport because I stopped believing in myself and my injury wasn’t responding,’ said Badosa. ‘So to be back (at this level) is a dream come true.
‘In that moment, I was feeling pain every day waking up. So for me it didn’t make sense. For me, with all respect, tennis doesn’t make sense if I’m not on the top. I want to play big stages. I want to play the last rounds of every tournament. I want to be one of the best players in the world.’
Paula Badosa is into her first US Open quarter-final just months after considering quitting
The 26-year-old thrashed China’s Yafan Wang 6-1, 6-2 in the fourth round Sunday
The world No. 29 will certainly be on a big stage tomorrow – surely Arthur Ashe – when she will take on the winner of Sunday afternoon’s All-American clash between Emma Navarro and defending champion Coco Gauff.
‘It’s going to be my first time on Ashe,’ said Badosa. ‘It’s going to be my first time in a quarterfinal here, also. I like these kind of challenges. I was born to play on big stages.’
Badosa has never lacked confidence, and if her body can continue to cooperate there is no reason why she cannot return to the world’s top 10.
