There will be no semifinals of Roland Garros for Girona’s Paula Badosa, who fell in the quarter-finals against Slovenia yesterday Tamara Zidansek. That yes, he said goodbye to Paris with all the honors after losing an epic match that was decided by 7-5, 4-6 and 8-6 in 2 hours and 26 minutes. The tennis player of Begur got his best result in one Grand Slam, a milestone that is no coincidence. “It’s Paula’s time. It has been uncovered and its potential is believed. He is teaching his real tennis, aggressive, ambitious and with a brutal character on the court “, assures the delegate of the Catalan Federation in Girona, Carles tailor.
In the duel between the two neophytes in the quarterfinals, Zidanesk was more confident and aggressive with his blows, although Badosa he also had his chances. And it was that he was close to victory, after overcoming a first set against, getting the second and starting with advantage the third. However, his rival, who so far had only won three games in one Grand Slam, did not throw in the towel at any time.
It was Badosa’s third defeat this season on clay, but, above all, the most painful. The winner of the Belgrade tournament continues to be the tennis player with the most victories on clay since the beginning of the year (17) -one more than the American Coco Gauff, who plays in the quarterfinals today. Badosa, winner of the junior edition of Roland Garros in 2015, has reason to be frustrated because he came close to victory, but also happy for his good performance in the tournament. “It’s not worth playing in a way that’s not yours. These matches are very hard and have a very high degree of physical and mental demands, apart from the fact that it has been a very difficult year for all athletes. Anyone, no matter how small, can get results if they want to. There is no longer the public factor or egos “, explains Sastre.
The match was tense and very contested, due to the fact that both players debuted in such a high round of a big one. They yielded their service up to 15 times and accumulated unforced errors. Begur had more, who finished with 47, compared to Zidansek’s 39, who was more on the attack, with 48 direct shots, 17 more than his rival.
Badosa started like a hurricane, 35th in the world, and went 3-0, but then came the reaction of Zidansek, 85th in the ranking, which chained others. The duel entered a succession of inaccuracies, without any being able to retain its service, until totaling seven breaks. Zidansek, more aggressive with his punches, managed to close the sleeve in the twelfth game.
In the second there were five missed services, but this time Badosa scored the key points and the sleeve, leading to a third set duel, in which the arm of both shrank. With more fear of losing, the match dropped in intensity. For the Girona woman it was a challenge, to test her mental recovery, after the depression she had a few years ago. Nevertheless, it was controlled, although at times it left the party, it sent his racket and it gained a warning of the referee, to whom it reprimanded of sonorous way. But his options were intact.
The match went into the cut of a razor and could fall on either side. He was from Slovenia, a psychology student who knew how to better control his nerves, not lower his arms, keep his blood pressure high. And as a result, it ended up melting in Badosa.
The change of trainer
Falling into the quarters of Roland Garros does not stain, not by a long shot, the great season that Badosa is having. “It’s a brutal pride to see her succeed,” says Sastre, who coached her when she was little. For the Catalan delegate in Girona, this jump is due to the change of coach with Javier Martí: “He has a human team with which he feels very comfortable. The change has felt really good. Although without the stages with Xavier Budó i Marcelo Wieliwis “I wouldn’t have gotten this far.”
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