In a stunning upset, Spain’s Paula Badosa shocked error-prone American Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4 to advance to her first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open. The 27-year-old Badosa weathered an uncharacteristically sloppy performance from Gauff, who entered the match on a blistering 13-match winning streak.
Gauff, the reigning US Open champion and WTA Finals winner, never found her rhythm on Rod Laver Arena. The 20-year-old committed a staggering 41 unforced errors, including 6 double faults and 28 mishit forehands. By contrast, Badosa played a clean, composed match to secure the biggest win of her career.
Badosa completes remarkable comeback
For Badosa, reaching the semifinals marks an incredible turnaround from a serious back injury that nearly ended her career in 2022. The former World No. 2 has battled her way back to the top of the game.
I would never think that, a year after, I would be here. I’ve been through a lot. In the past, I was one of the best players in the world.
– Paula Badosa
Key stats from the upset:
- 41 unforced errors for Gauff, including 28 off the forehand
- 0 break points earned by Gauff until late in the 2nd set
- Badosa’s first Grand Slam semifinal in 10 major appearances
What’s next
Badosa now faces a formidable challenge in the semifinals against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka or 2021 French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Both Sabalenka and Pavlyuchenkova are imposing ball-strikers who will look to overpower Badosa from the baseline.
But after her stunning victory over Gauff, Badosa will relish the opportunity to compete for a spot in her first major final. If she can maintain her poised, error-free tennis, the Spaniard has a real chance to complete one of the most remarkable injury comebacks in recent memory and win the Australian Open title.
