AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2025

Paula Badosa

Press Conference

P. BADOSA/O. Danilovic

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Paula, incredible performance today. Your thoughts on how you did, especially in the second set coming back.

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, I think I played really well. I entered the match with ideas very clear. Very aggressive. I served really well.

The second set was a little bit tricky because I think I was 5-2 down, but it wasn't like a real 5-2 because I was playing well. It was like small points there.

I think I changed the momentum and I finished playing great again.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your reward for this is playing Coco. What goes through your head ahead of a match, not in terms of strategy, but things you need to do?

PAULA BADOSA: I love Coco. I respect her a lot. She's a great competitor. We always have tough matches. Last one was really tough for me because I was winning in that moment, then the momentum changed in Beijing semifinals. It was a good match. Rome was a little bit similar.

I really remember that matches. I hope I can have my revenge here. It's a special match, quarterfinals, center court, against her. I always enjoyed playing against her. I respect her so much.

I will get ready for that battle again.

Q. How will you prepare for this? Will you do anything differently, maybe mentally?

PAULA BADOSA: The same as I'm doing these days. Today I was honestly really nervous when I came into the match. Sometimes you see matches as an opportunity. Today was one of it. I'm not going to lie.

But I think I managed it really well. I'm going to manage it like another day, another match. Of course, this match, it's different because you're playing one of the best players in the world. She's playing great tennis. I mean, I think she didn't lose a match this year, if I'm not wrong.

She's full of confidence. But I'm playing well, too. I'm ready to face her.

Q. Do you think you'll think about that match, that quarterfinal?

PAULA BADOSA: Sorry?

Q. Do you think you'll think about that Navarro quarterfinal?

PAULA BADOSA: No, no, no. It's totally different. It's a different opponent.

What I will think more about is what I did wrong in the last matches against Coco more than my match with Navarro. Already I forgot about it (smiling).

Q. Talking about Coco, what do you need to get right against her? What are the little things in your game and her game that need to go right for you?

PAULA BADOSA: I think we both are aggressive players, going with the serves. Yeah, I mean, it's going to be a tactical match. She's moving really well. I think I will have to play aggressive, play my game, try to focus a little bit more maybe on myself.

Yeah, I think it's going to be a battle. Sometimes when you play these kind of players, it's who has the best day that day. Hopefully it's me.

Q. The nerves you spoke about that you experienced today, how do they manifest themselves? When did they go away?

PAULA BADOSA: Well, they manifest themselves when I'm warming up. I mean, how do they go away? They never go away. I play nervous. If the nerves are not there, it means I wouldn't care.

But I think what helps me is to move a lot my body, to stay active. Even to speak about it with my team, like I'm feeling like this. Trying to accept that moment. Of course, when I'm going into the court, try to be very intense and to think what I have to do in that moment, that shot, try to stay in the present. That's a little bit what I did today.

Q. Overnight, Pam Shriver was quite critical of the scheduling today. All the women's matches in the day, the men given prime time. Today three of the four women's matches were on at the same time. Just getting your thoughts on the schedule, whether you'd like to see more women's matches at 7:00?

PAULA BADOSA: We had every day women's matches late also. I was one of them. Particularly talking personally about me, I like to play early. I'm an early morning person. It's great, you can finish earlier, you can have a good sleep. Sometimes when you play late, it's tough to go to sleep, it's tough to rest.

For me, talking about me, it was good. I think tomorrow we're having late-night matches. I don't know the reason of today. For me was great.

Q. You talked about opportunity. You get the opportunity to qualify for a first slam semifinal. What would that mean to you, given your recent road with injuries?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, it would mean a lot. I haven't experienced a lot of quarterfinals in my life. One of my goals with my team, especially after US Open, was, Okay, let's try to be in this round as much as possible. I'm happy that it's the next slam, that it's here. I think I need to experience more of these moments to know how to deal and to face them.

In two days I have another opportunity. Of course, it would mean a lot. My dream is always to be in the final rounds of a slam. Being in these rounds are very special.

Q. You always say that you and Stefanos inspire each other. Do you think he could be inspired by this run now that he has been struggling a little bit?

PAULA BADOSA: Hopefully. I hope so. Yeah, he really helps me. Even the other day after the match, we were talking about my match. He gives me advices. He gives me tips.

Even today in the match he was there. He really inspires me because he's done so much already on the tennis world. For me, having somebody like him giving me his opinion, it's something that I admire and I love it.