MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

August 4, 2024

Paula Badosa

Press Conference

P. BADOSA/M. Bouzkova

6-1, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Paula, congratulations. Can you share with us what this title means to you.

PAULA BADOSA: It means a lot. I mean, today was a very tough day for me because I really wanted to win this title no matter what. It was very emotional. Finally I got it. I'm super proud of myself after all. I'm very happy with this title.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What are you most proud of throughout the week and what have you learned about yourself this week leading to this title?

PAULA BADOSA: I think the thing I'm most proud of myself is how I handled this week, the tough moments, the pressure moments. I think there were a few, especially in quarterfinals and today. How I dealed with it, I'm really proud of myself.

I think what I learned for me is that I'm stronger than what I thought. Yeah, if I believe and I go for it, well, good things come like a title.

Yeah, sometimes I've been doubting on myself. I think I shouldn't do that. I just need to keep believing. I hope it's not the last one.

Q. When you fell to the ground and you were crying, is it a mix of emotions or one specific emotion?

PAULA BADOSA: No, it's a mix. Especially what I went through the last year, for me being back, winning big titles like a 500, winning the best players this the world, being competing against them again, for me it means a lot. That's why I had this mix of emotions.

Also, as I said today, I was really, really nervous because I really wanted it really bad. For me was a little bit tough to control my emotions, especially when we were stopping. We were getting in the locker room, for me was very emotional there also.

The way I came out at the third set, composed in that way, it was really good and really positive.

Q. With everything you've been through the last year, winning today, where does this rank in terms of wins and moments in your career? How much does this tournament here in DC now mean to you?

PAULA BADOSA: I think it's maybe the most special moment, especially because I went through a lot, you know? As I said I think it was yesterday, a lot of people put me down on that. I had to fight through that and I had to keep believing on myself.

Especially I think who did a good job with that was my team, who was always there supporting me and believing in me. I think this moment for me, it's one of the most special ones in my career. Of course, Indian Wells will always be there, but it's a different situation.

I think here I fought a lot myself and my thoughts. I think that's one of the biggest wins of, yeah, my career.

Q. When you think about where you were a year ago, now you're a champion for the first time in two years, what does that mean to you? How do you plan on using this as a springboard?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, one year ago I was in the couch, so it's a big difference now. Now I'm an athlete again (smiling). Yeah, I mean, winning a title after two years...

What means a lot is I played four finals and I won the four of them. That's what I had on my mind today also in the third set. I'm like, Paula, you're capable of doing this in another final. That would push me a lot today.

Well, I think now I'm in a place, a really good place. Even before the tournament I was feeling good, I was feeling confident. I think I needed to win something, a big title for me, because like my personality, I'm not very - how can I say - I'm not happy always with finals and semifinals. I want to win titles.

I'm very perfectionist. Of course, that sometimes brings me down, but also in important moments I think it gives me that extra.

Yeah, I felt I needed this moment very much.

Q. Since winning the title, especially this week, where do you see your level? Are you where you were before? Are you back essentially?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, I mean, I felt before already that I was in a pretty high level because, as I said, I'm playing against the best players and I'm really close. I was really close to it.

But yeah, I think I'm on my way. I don't want to say I'm back back because I don't know. I want to test myself a little bit more. But I think I'm on my way.

The most important that I'm motivated, that my body is responding. Yeah, we can say I'm back (smiling).

Q. Two days ago you came in here and said, I'm not always happy with quarterfinals or semifinals. Now you just said, I'm not always happy with finals.

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, that's my problem. That's my problem (laughter).

Q. Do the expectations or beliefs change now that you have a title?

PAULA BADOSA: They're the same. Honestly they've always been the same. Even if I started the year that I was ranked far away, I was coming from an injury that I had to be, like, step by step. I was like, No, no, no, I have to win every match possible.

But yeah, I think now I need to calm down a little bit, value this moment because I'm really grateful for it. Today was a very tough battle. Especially in my case it was a mental battle to break barriers, you know?

I'm happy. I'm really happy. I'm already looking forward for the next tournament and the next challenges.

Q. You won this week, you beat two former Grand Slam champions, Liudmila who won this title two years ago. Wins over those quality types of players, is that something you can use in Canada and Cincinnati and New York?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, of course. Especially I believe that the conditions here are the same as what I'm going to face in Toronto, Cincinnati and New York. At the beginning I wasn't really sure about these conditions with my game.

Finally this gave me a lot of confidence also to win these kind of players and these kind of battles, to win a title in these conditions, because I never thought I was going to play good on this hard court, but really fast, you know?

This proved me wrong. I'm looking forward for the next. Of course, this gives me a lot of confidence for the next challenges.

Q. It's only a few moments since you won here, but have you been able to get in touch with your family or Stefanos? Were they able to watch?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, it's the first thing I did on court. I called my family and Stefanos, of course, because I know they're always there for me. They've been in the tough moments. They've seen me very, very down this last year. I wanted to live the moments with them because of course without them I wouldn't be here because they support me every day, 24/7.

There was moments that I didn't know what to do with my career. They were there. I knew they were following, they were watching the match, so I wanted to call them.

Q. Two different delays in the match. What were you telling yourself after the second one after losing the second set? How was that different from the first when you were ahead?

PAULA BADOSA: Do you really want to know what I said in the third set (smiling)?

Q. Yes.

PAULA BADOSA: Look, I'm super honest. I think I should be always like that. So I came out of the court crying so much. Really, I couldn't stop crying. My team didn't know what to do because I just cried non-stop.

I tried to calm down. I think that also helped me a bit to release my emotions because I was really, really nervous. That's what I said, like sometimes I want it so much that I can't control myself. That's a little bit what happened in the third set.

Then after crying like, I don't know how much time, I relaxed a bit, I calmed down. I changed. I'm like, Paula, it's a set, just give everything you can, try to play your game like at the beginning of the match that I think I started really well on that and I was quite calm.

It worked pretty well. I took my opportunities. Look, I'm very proud of how I dealed with it.