Paula Badosa bests Coco Gauff in Australian Open quarter-finals

By Eleanor Crooks, PA Tennis Correspondent, Melbourne

Paula Badosa ended Coco Gauff’s winning run to reach her first grand slam semi-final at the Australian Open.

The American third seed arrived in Melbourne as the most in-form player on tour after winning the WTA Finals to end last season and then all five singles matches at the United Cup, including a clash against Iga Swiatek.

She went into the clash with 11th seed Badosa on a 13-match winning streak but it was the Spaniard who came out on top in a 7-5 6-4 victory.

Badosa feared she may have to retire last year because of a persistent back problem but ended the season strongly, making the quarter-finals of the US Open, and has now hit a new high here.

“Today I came in and I wanted to play my best game, and I think I did it,” she said. “Coco, at the beginning she was playing insane tennis, but I’m super proud of the level I gave today.

“A year ago I was here with my back and I didn’t know if I had to retire from this sport and now I’m here playing against the best in the world. I won today, I’m in the semi-finals. I will never think that a year after I would be here.”

Both players held serve until 5-5 in the first set, when Badosa struck, and the 27-year-old then opened up a 5-2 lead in the second set.

She was unable to serve it out at the first time of asking but made no mistake the second time around to set up a clash against either top seed Aryna Sabalenka or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Gauff was left to rue 41 unforced errors but was philosophical afterwards, saying: “Paula was playing great. Maybe some moments in the first set could have gone my way, could have been a different outcome in the first set.

“I think it’s just a lot more work to do. I’m obviously disappointed, but I’m not completely crushed. I’m looking forward to a lot. Even though I lost today, I feel like I’m in an upward trajectory.”