Paula Badosa advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2023 Madrid Open after defeating Coco Gauff with an impressive straight sets victory (6-3, 6-0). In her press conference, Badosa revealed her strategy for the match, which involved relentlessly targeting Gauff’s forehand, a known weakness of the American player.
Targeting Gauff’s Forehand
Badosa explained that while Gauff is a great player with a powerful backhand and defense, the 19-year-old tends to struggle when her service games don’t go as planned. “I just try to return her every ball to make her play one more. Sometimes when she feels she doesn’t have free points on the serve, she starts to serve a little bit worse,” said Badosa. The 25-year-old Spaniard’s plan to attack Gauff’s forehand paid off, as it pushed the American to make unforced errors.
Proud of Her Performance
Badosa reflected on her own game, expressing pride in her hard work and the resounding victory over a top-10 player. The Spanish tennis player appreciated the support from her home crowd in Madrid, which made the win even more special. She said, “I’m proud of myself. I mean, I have been working very hard. It’s been tough. I mean, tennis life is very tough. Every week you’re losing and you have opportunities and you don’t get it. Sometimes you get it. It’s a tough career, you know.”
Looking Ahead to the Quarterfinals
With her victory over Coco Gauff, Paula Badosa moves on to face Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals on Monday. She hopes to continue her strong performance in the tournament and carry her momentum forward.
