Statement Win By Badosa In Stuttgart Opener

Paula Badosa
Paula Badosa (photo: Porsche AG)

STUTTGART/WASHINGTON, April 18, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

After completing a near-perfect, 6-1, 6-1, first-round victory over World No. 8 Daria Kasatkina at the WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany Tuesday afternoon – her first Top-10 triumph of the season – former World No. 2 Paula Badosa, now ranked 31st, was asked during her on-court interview to grade her statement win on a scale from 1 to 10.

The 25-year-old New York-born Spaniard, who was a Stuttgart semifinalist in 2022 but needed a wild card to enter the main draw this year, gave the question some serious thought. Then, Badosa smiled and unabashedly replied: “I don’t usually say this, but I think 9.9.

“I’m really happy about my performance today. It was a really tough match. She played very well on clay. I was expecting a battle. I’m really happy how I played very aggressive. I’m really happy to be back here in Stuttgart.”

The former Indian Wells champion, who was a quarterfinalist on green clay in Charleston two weeks ago, saved the only break point she faced during the 70-minute encounter on Center Court inside Porsche Arena. It happened in the opening game of the second set when she nailed a forehand winner into the corner. Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded Kasatkina, the first seed to lose in Stuttgart, fell to 2-2 lifetime against Badosa after committing 28 unforced errors while hitting just eight winners.

If Badosa’s confident performance against Kasatkina is any indication, in which she struck three service aces, hit 19 winners, converted five of nine break points and outpointed her Russian foe 62-36, it won’t be surprising to see her return to the Top 10 of the WTA Rankings soon.

“I hope so; that is what I am working on,” said Badosa, who will face fellow Spaniard Cristina Bucsa (ranked 77th) in the next round for a place in last eight. “I am working every day. That is one of my goals. I want to be back on the top. I like to play big matches. I like to be in the last round of a tournament. I am looking forward to being back on that level.”

Badosa was asked if her confidence level walking out on the stadium court ranked in the thirties felt any different than when she was ranked near the top. She admitted, “Maybe a little bit. It’s a little different. You’re a little more confident [ranked No. 2], but I still know I have that level. I still know I am that player. I still believe in myself. I hope I am back there very soon.”

Local hero Maria reaches Stuttgart second round for first time

No. 71 Tatjana Maria of Germany, who received a wild card into the main draw, needed two hours and 45 minutes to earn a satisfying 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4) victory over 138th-ranked Swiss qualifier Ylena In-Albon. However, it was worth every moment to her. Maria improved to 11-8 and is 6-0 on clay in tour-level events this season.

The win lifted the 35-year-old Maria, a native of Bad Saulgau and one of three Germans in the main draw, into the second round of Stuttgart for the first time in four tries. Her next opponent will be World No. 5 Caroline Garcia of France, who is seeded fourth.

“I’m so happy to be a part of everything here again,” Maria said in her pre-tournament press conference. “The last time I played Stuttgart was in 2012. That was before I became a mother which is why it’s something special for me being here at my home tournament with my family. It’s a good feeling.”

Petkovic says goodbye to appreciative Stuttgart crowd

Andrea Petkovic

Andrea Petkovic and Anna-Lena Herzgerodt (photo: Porsche AG)

Germany’s Andrea Petkovic has been a fan favorite for many years at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. On Monday night, the 35-year-old Darmstadt native bid the Stuttgart crowd farewell during a special doubles exhibition match, “Next Gen, please.” Petkovic and Anna-Lena Herzgerodt (née Grönefeld), supported by Porsche Team Germany’s Tatjana Maria and Anna-Lena Friedsam, representing the “golden generation” opposed Next Gens Noma Noha Akugue, Ella Seidel and Sonja Zhenikhova, three of Germany’s up-and-coming talents, as well as German No. 1 Jule Niemeier.

Around the Porsche Arena

• In a battle of lefties in Tuesday’s opening match, 14th-ranked Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil advanced by retirement (7-5, 1-1) over Martina Trevisan after saving three set points during the ninth game of the 75-minute opener. At 1-all in the second set, the 20th-ranked Italian was forced to retire with a thigh injury. Next, Haddad Maia will face either No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan or Germany’s Jule Niemeier.

• No. 24 Anastasia Potapova of Russia held off 32nd-ranked qualifier Petra Martic of Croatia in a third-set tie break to win 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) in two hours and 45 minutes on Court 1 to advance against either No. 5 seed Coco Gauff of the United States or her doubles partner Veronika Kudermetova of Russia, ranked 13th.

• In a match-up of former major champions, No. 22 Jelena Ostapenko overwhelmed England’s Emma Raducanu, 6-2, 6-1, in just 58 minutes. The 2017 French Open titlist from Latvia won nearly twice as many points (52-27), converted all five of her break-point opportunities – saving the only break point she faced – and won 80 percent of Raducanu’s second-serve points.

The 2021 US Open champ, now ranked 68th, has now dropped three straight and will head to the Mutua Madrid Open level at 5-5 on the 2023 season. Meanwhile, Ostapenko (13-8) will oppose World No. 4 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, who is seeded third, in the second round Wednesday evening.

• No. 12 Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic set up a second-round match-up with World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus after defeating No. 15 Liudmila Samsonova, 6-2, 6-0, in an hour and 23 to wrap up Tuesday’s evening session. The 2021 French Open champion saved all seven of the break points she faced and outpointed Samsonova of Russia 64-40.

Krejcikova will take a 1-4 career head-to-head win-loss record into her Wednesday evening match against Sabalenka, this year’s Australian Open champion, who will be playing her first match on clay since losing to Italy’s Camila Giorgi in the third round of last year’s French Open.

Tuesday’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix results

Wednesday’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix order of play

By the numbers

Paula Badosa‘s victory over World No. 8 Daria Kasatkina, her second over the Russian in four meetings, was her first Top-10 win of the season – and ninth of her career – and the first since beating then-No. 10 Ons Jabeur at Stuttgart a year ago. It was also her 29th win on clay over the past three seasons, third-most on the WTA Tour.

“Quotable …”

“It wasn’t really like my decision. He was having some personal things going on, so he had to step down. It was something that I think both of us didn’t want to happen, because we have a good time together. But I understand that, and I wish him nothing but the best.

“I know that he’s always a person that if I need to call I’ll pick up the phone, and I had great year with him. Now, it’s just me and my dad. I’ll figure somebody out after the European season.”

– World No. 6 Coco Gauff on her amicable split with coach Diego Moyano, her coach for the past year, as described during her pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday. The split took place after the Miami Open. For now, Gauff’s father, Cori, will resume coaching her through the European clay season.

 

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