Paula Badosa, who almost quit tennis in 2024, has reached her first Grand Slam semifinal with a straight-sets win over Gauff.An “emotional” Paula Badosa has shattered world number three Coco Gauff’s dream of a first Australian Open title with a stunning 7-5, 6-4 win in the quarterfinals in Melbourne.
Badosa reached a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time in her career – the first Spanish woman to do so since Garbine Muguruza at Melbourne in 2020 – in a match that lasted one hour and 43 minutes on Tuesday.
“I’m a bit emotional,” said Badosa, who will face either her close friend and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a place in the final.
“I’m a very emotional person. I wanted to play my best game. I think I did it.
“I’m super proud of the level I gave today.”
It caps a remarkable comeback to tennis for the 11th seed who was ranked outside the top 100 a year ago after a stress fracture in her back.
“I mean, a year ago, I was here with my back that I didn’t know if I had to retire from this sport, and now I’m here playing against the best in the world,” said Badosa.
Third seed Gauff had been unbeaten in nine matches this season but dropped he …
