In a thrilling quarterfinal match at the Australian Open, Paula Badosa triumphed over Coco Gauff with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-4, marking her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal appearance. The one-hour and 43-minute encounter saw the 11th-seeded Spaniard display an aggressive style from the outset, placing Gauff under significant pressure. This victory is a remarkable milestone for Badosa, who becomes the first Spanish woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since Garbine Muguruza in 2020.
Badosa's aggressive approach was evident as she targeted Gauff's serve early in the first set. Uncharacteristically, Gauff struggled to create break points and was plagued by unforced errors throughout the match. Despite her previous unbeaten streak of nine matches this season, including a comeback win against Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic in the last 16, Gauff fell short against the determined Spaniard.
Badosa's journey to this point is nothing short of inspirational. A year ago, she was ranked outside the top 100 due to a stress fracture in her back, casting doubt on her future in tennis.
"I mean, a year ago, I was here with my back that I didn’t know if I had to retire from this sport, and now I’m here playing against the best in the world,” – Paula Badosa
The victory over Gauff is a testament to Badosa's resilience and determination as she continues to defy expectations.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev advanced to the semifinals by overcoming Tommy Paul with a hard-fought 7-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-1 win. During the match, Zverev received a warning for cursing after a bird's feather disrupted his concentration. The feather dropped into his eye line during his backswing, prompting chair umpire Nacho Forcadell to call for a replay of the point.
"A feather? There’s millions of them on the court,” – Alexander Zverev
Despite this unusual incident, Zverev maintained composure to secure his place in the last four.
Gauff, reflecting on her performance, expressed a sense of positivity despite the loss to Badosa. She noted feeling better than after her fourth-round loss to compatriot Emma Navarro at the US Open.
