US OPEN

September 1, 2024

Paula Badosa

Press Conference

P. BADOSA/W. Yafan

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Paula, your thoughts on the match.

PAULA BADOSA: Well, first of all, I'm really happy to be here in the quarterfinals for the first time. Today wasn't easy at all, even though the results says it that way.

I think it was a very tactical match, and I played really well. I was aggressive. I stepped in the court when I had to. So I'm really happy that it worked and I came through the match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Tennis, as you said on court, is pretty crazy. Three months ago you thought you might be leaving the sport. Today you were the favorite in many ways to make this quarterfinal. How do you manage the whiplash of expectations?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, I think that was the tricky part of today, that maybe I was the favorite. There has been many times I didn't deal with that really well, because I lost a few times in the fourth round, so today I was quite nervous.

But I think I managed that, and I dealt with the pressure and the nerves pretty well. I was really aggressive. I think today the forehand worked really well and especially also the serve. I'm really pleased with that.

And also, I knew it was a tactical match. She plays very tactical. She's very smart on the court, so I'm really happy. I was very aggressive, I went for my shots. I think I'm playing pretty well all the matches, and today I could prove that.

Q. You spoke on court about how you feel about both Coco and Emma, but taking them separately for the moment since we don't know which person you'll be playing, firstly, what are your thoughts about Coco, what she's accomplished, and what the challenge is when you face her?

PAULA BADOSA: It's always a battle against Coco. Also a very tactical match against her every time. Also, what she's accomplished already in tennis, it's great, and I think she's a great girl also. She's very inspiring, very young age, very mature. She already won a slam, did the final in French Open, semifinals this year at the beginning of the year, so it's always a tough opponent.

In that match, I'm expecting very big serves, good backhand, and a battle again. So we had one in Rome. I lost for small opportunities there, small details, and hopefully this time I know it's going to be tricky, also, because I'm gonna play an American, a home crowd. But I like this kind of stuff. It's a challenge, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Against Emma, it's a little bit different. Also, she's very, very talented. We had a very big battle in Rome also. It was clay. It's different. But she's playing very well. She's been doing a very good summer, also, playing good matches. Also, I'm expecting a tough one there. Maybe I will have to be more aggressive than her, and let's see how it goes Tuesday.

Q. You have just mentioned a little bit that regardless, you're playing an American, a home crowd, but you were also born here. How are you feeling about playing a home crowd that's also in your...

PAULA BADOSA: No, but it's not going to be for me, come on, let's be honest (smiling). Each though I was born, I think they just care about the flag. I will play against an American, and I think they will cheer for them, but I totally get it.

It's still going to be cool. I still like it. It's going to be my first time on Ashe, so I never played that. It's going to be my first time in a quarterfinals, also, so it's an experience for me. I like these kind of challenges. I was born to play on big stages, and I'm really looking forward for that.

Q. Over the last few months since you have been gradually improving, at what point did you allow yourself to believe that you could get back to playing deep in Grand Slams again?

PAULA BADOSA: Well, look, I always knew that if my back responded well and my injury responded well, I think I said it with you in Washington that I had the talent and I knew I could get back to the top. I just needed, like, my physical part to respond, and I think the mental and the tennis was there.

So finally working really well these couple of months. I think the work is paying off, and that's the thing that I'm most proud of myself, you know, because I knew that if that was okay, the rest will come.

Q. You have spoken about even considering retirement. What do you think about that today, how it got to that point that you even considered that?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, because in that moment, I was feeling pain every day I was waking up. So for me, it didn't make sense. Also, I said it the other day, for me, with all my respects, for me, tennis doesn't make sense if I'm not on the top. You know, I want to play big stages. I want to play the last rounds of every tournament. I want to be one of the best players in the world.

Then is when I feel motivated and excited every day. If not, for me being in the ranking I was two months ago, didn't make any sense and I struggle a lot mentally being in that position. So for me, what makes sense and what makes me happy every day is to be where I am right now in the last stages of every tournament.

Q. Had you gotten to a point where you felt like you could picture a life without tennis? Did you have a sense what you could do if you did have to stop? And generally speaking, how have you been spending your off days?

PAULA BADOSA: Well, there were some moments I was thinking about it, like in the clay court season when I was losing very soon in the tournaments, and I'm like, wow, what can I do now, you know?

But at the end, I always had this small part of me I had faith on myself, I had this belief that I could come back. I knew it was going to be a process that I had to trust, that I had to be patient, but I remember saying to my coach, look, I'm going to give myself this year, and let's see if this can work out.

Well, it's working, so I cannot complain (smiling). So I'm happy with that.