An emotional 27 year old Paula Badosa ended world number three Coco Gauff’s hopes of winning her first Australian Open title with a stunning 7-5, 6-4 victory in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. Badosa, who reached her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final, became the first Spanish woman to do so since Garbine Muguruza in 2020 at Melbourne.
“I’m feeling a bit emotional,” said Badosa, who will face either two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who are scheduled to play later, for a spot in the final. “I’m a very emotional person. I really wanted to play my best, and I think I did.”
“I’m super proud of the level I played today.”
This victory marks an incredible comeback for the 11th seed, who was ranked outside the top 100 a year ago due to a stress fracture in her back.
“A year ago, I was here with a back injury, unsure if I would have to retire from the sport, and now I’m playing against the best in the world,” Badosa reflected. “I won today. I’m in the semi-finals. I never would have imagined that just a year later, I’d be here.”
Third seed Gauff, who had been unbeaten in her nine matches this season, lost her first set of 2025 before bouncing back to defeat Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic in the fourth round.
Badosa started aggressively, putting pressure on Gauff’s serve early in the first set. The American was serving at 5-5, 30-40, when Badosa took advantage of her third break-point opportunity and went on to serve out the first set in 56 minutes. Gauff, who struggled with unforced errors, failed to earn any break points during the set.
Badosa maintained her intensity at the start of the second set, surviving a marathon opening game that lasted 14 minutes and featured eight deuces. Despite saving four break points, Gauff ultimately dropped serve on a fifth chance when her shot went long.
A powerful running forehand winner and a netted backhand from Gauff allowed her to break back and level at 2-2, temporarily raising her spirits. But Badosa responded with two more breaks of serve and clinched the match in 1 hour 43 minutes, collapsing to the court in celebration as she secured her first-ever win over a top-10 opponent at a Grand Slam in four attempts.
