Paula Badosa The clay court tour starts as one of the big names to follow (and beat) within the women’s circuit. His starting gun will be in the WTA Stuttgart 2022, for which he has prepared thoroughly and which will mark the beginning of one of his favorite moments of the year, where he has experienced indecipherable emotions and where he had the opportunity to establish himself as one of the best rackets of last season. Of course, her status as a player is very different from today: her rivals thoroughly study her game and come out against her without any fear, knowing that the Catalan is now the favorite in 90% of the games she plays, which adds an extra component of managing expectations, pressure and nerves.
However, Badosa carries it all with the naturalness who enjoys practicing the profession. Can’t hide that tour clay court It is something like coming home, and despite going day by day, the goals are important and the desire to shine overshadows any possible fear. This is how she recognized it in the preview of the German tournament, in a few words collected by the WTA website. “Right now, the expectations are always high. At this level, they always are. However, I am very focused on going day by day, enjoying the journey. It is going to be very difficult. You all know that clay is my surface. favourite, but that also makes it tpdp a bit more complicated, because maybe my rivals think I am even more favorite and play better.”.
Before facing the tournament tour on clay, that tour that puts a smile on Paula’s lips, the Catalan also had words of reflection regarding the speed at which the WTA is currently played. On a surface that gives more time to those who step on it, where tennis becomes more cerebral and analytical, Badosa highlights the difficulty, even so, of not falling behind against the ball rhythm of the best. “Honestly, I have only played one tournament on clay so far and I was surprised because I saw everyone playing very, very fast. Maybe years ago this was not the case. I think that tennis is changing, there is always an evolution, and I think it is changing because the players are stronger, they move better and hit the ball harder, harder and harder. Everything is getting faster and faster, so I try to adapt and see how other players do too. They are improving a lot on that. So, I have to serve better, also subtract very quickly and go at the same speed as the rest.”.
A STYLE TO BE DEFINED
It is curious that, given the winds of renewal on the women’s circuit and the chameleon-like ability to adapt to the tennis of her rival, Paula Badosa still do not know how to define when playing on clay. Perhaps, of course, it is something that will clarify with time. “I’m still discovering myself, so I don’t really know how I play on the ground. I know I play well from the baseline, I have good shots, I try to be aggressive. At the same time, of course, I try to find that balance when it comes to moving and defending. I try to be solid and find that balance, solid but aggressive at the same time. Maybe I need to be a little more aggressive sometimes, at the level I’m talking about, against players like Iga (Swiatek) or Aryna (Sabalenka), against the top you have to have that more aggressive mentality. What I do know 100% is that I am a fighter. I fight every point and every match no matter what else.”.
