Paula Badosa’s strong end to the season is showing no signs of stopping after she won her eighth consecutive match with a hard-fought straight sets win over Maria Sakkari at the WTA Finals.
Badosa, who won the biggest title of her career at Indian Wells last month, required more than two hours to edge out the world No.6 7-6(4), 6-4. Firing a total of 23 winners against 22 unforced errors. The 23-year-old also heavily benefitted from some erratic play produced by Sakkari who leaked a costly 49 unforced errors during what was the first ever Tour meeting between the two players.
“I think it was quite a tough match,” Badosa said afterwards. “I served well, I fight for every point. I knew it was going to be a battle against Maria.
“I think I stayed aggressive. I was moving well. When you win these kind of matches, I think you have to do a little bit of everything well. I think the key was a little bit in the important moments, I was quite brave and I played very good.”
The victory comes two days after Badosa upset top seed Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets in her opening match of the round-robin tournament. This year has been a breakthrough season for the Spaniard who is one of six WTA players to break into the world’s top 10 for the first time. She started 2021 ranked 70th in the world but since then has won two titles and has beaten five top 10 players, including world No.1 Ash Barty in Charleston.
“I think I [got] my first top 10 win, I don’t know, maybe four months ago. Everything was very new for me,” she reflected. “I needed experience. I needed to pass through all that. I think when I got the experience, all of those things, it went well. I think I’m quite competitive. I think I needed a little bit to adjust myself, to be here and play these kind of matches, to learn.”
After downing Sakkari on Saturday, Badosa later secured her place in the semi-finals at the WTA Finals when the match between Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek went to three sets. Sabalenka outlasted her Polish opponent 2-6, 6-2, 7-5, to keep her chances of reaching the last four alive.
The Belarussian is bidding to win the season-ending event as the top seed for the 24th time in its history. She is the first player from her country to participate in the WTA Finals since Victoria Azarenka back in 2013.
“After the first match I just didn’t want to do the same mistake. I just didn’t want to give up again,” Sabalenka said. “I just kept saying to myself, You have to put this ball in somehow. If you don’t feel well, doesn’t matter, you just have to fight and you just have to try your best.”
The next test for the world No.2 will be a clash with Sakkari on Monday which will be her final group match. The winner of this encounter will join Badosa in the semi-finals as runner-up in their group.
“I’m really happy that I have this chance to get through this group,” Sabalenka said. “Maria is a tough opponent. She’s a great fighter. It’s always great matches against her. It’s always big battles. I’m just really looking forward. I’m really happy that I have this chance.”
Badosa will next play Switek who has no chance of progressing to the last four after suffering two consecutive losses. She is the second player to quality for the knockout stages after Anett Kontaveit.
