UNITED CUP

January 1, 2023

Paula Badosa

Team Spain

Press Conference

P. BADOSA/H. Dart

6-7, 7-6, 6-1

Team Great Britain - 2

Team Spain - 1

THE MODERATOR: Paula, that was a tremendous battle to start the season. What are you feeling right now?

PAULA BADOSA: Tired (smiling). No, yeah, I think it was a very, very good match, very high level. From her part, as well.

I'm very happy that I fight until the last moment. I had very good attitude. I was very competitive.

Yeah, hello, 2023 (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In terms of your attitude and staying positive, there was a lot going on in that match that very easily could have sent you into a very negative space, and you didn't do that. What were you telling yourself, and how did you not react that way?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, I mean, one of the goals that I put on myself for this year is to try to have the same attitude no matter what and try to stay competitive.

I had very good moments at the beginning of the year last year, at the final of the year of 2021, and I want to, like, try to feel that again, that competitive spirit, and that I was struggling a little bit the final of the season of last year.

So, yeah, one of the goals with my team was no matter what, I'm fight, and no matter if you're playing well or bad.

Yeah, that's a little bit how I started today, and I hope I can be like that and very regular during the year. Yeah, that's my main goal.

Q. I have to ask about the pickle juice. When did you start feeling the cramp? I think it was in that 3-1 game. What did you think was helping you and when did you start to feel physically okay?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, it was a strange feeling, because to be honest, I started to feel it at the last point of the 2-1. I served well in that moment, and, yeah, and then I was starting to cramp. I was a little bit surprised, because I did a very good preseason. But I think that wasn't the reason. I think I was very nervous. I was very tight, as well. First match of the season.

I play with a lot of emotions, so, yeah, that's a big problem for me. But then, yeah, I took the pickle juice, started to relax a little bit my body.

I think that as well helped me play a little bit more loose and more aggressive. But, yeah, it was a little bit surprising for me, because I don't usually cramp.

Q. What was Rafa telling you during the match or during the change of ends?

PAULA BADOSA: Well, he's very into the matches. I really appreciate that. Yeah, he's very supportive.

Yeah, I mean, a little bit of the game, stay aggressive. He was really going, like, telling me, like, Stay very aggressive, especially with my forehand, with the serve.

That was a little bit what I was trying. As well I was a little bit tired, so I had to go more for the shots.

So, yeah, he was just very supportive and saying that to me.

Q. When she was serving at 5-6 in the second-set tiebreak and double-faulted to lose the set, did you feel at that point that that's the turn and that you could race through that final set?

PAULA BADOSA: Well, I felt like if I could have a chance to win a set, that I will have my options in the third one. But it was being tough for me, because at the beginning, at the first set, I lost a few chances, I had set points, but she played well. Yeah, I knew in that second set if I could take it at the third set I could raise my level.

I like these kind of matches when they are, like, very competitive, they are high-level matches, and I can try to show my best. I think I did that in the third set.

Q. In terms of what the win kind of means for you to start your year, to get through a three-hour match, I know there was physical in there issues, but what does it mean for you? If you could just talk a little bit about the serve tonight, a little bit dodgy in the beginning, but it seemed to settle down over the course of the match?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, for me of course the win is very important but I think the way that I won tonight, it was even better for me, because I think we played very high level, and that my competitive spirit was there. Yeah, I'm very happy for that.

Of course a three-hour match, even though that I'm tired now, it always helps to get into again the tour. Yeah, I'm happy about that.

Yeah, I'm not really happy about the serve, to be honest (smiling). To be honest, I have been all my preseason practicing like two hours serves every day. It was a little bit funny because I have been trying to improve that a lot.

Yeah, sometimes it happens, and I just accept it in that moment that I wasn't serving well. And I think in the third set I started to serve better. But, yeah, something that I still have to work on. Yeah, it's okay.