By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, April 22, 2022
Paula Badosa beat Ons Jabeur 7-6(9), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the Stuttgart semifinals and clinch a career-high rank of world No. 2.
Photo credit: Porsche Tennis Instagram
Milestone moments often require pure perseverance.
Paula Badosa showed staying power rising to a career-high in Stuttgart.
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Badosa outlasted Ons Jabeur 7-6(9), 1-6, 6-3 advancing to her third semifinal of the season in a transformative triumph that propels the Spaniard to a career-high ranking of No. 2 in the live rankings.
On Monday, Badosa will officially surpass Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova as world No. 2 in the WTA rankings. Badosa joins Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Conchita Martínez and Garbiñe Muguruza as the fourth Spanish woman to crack the Top 2.
It's been a rapid rise for the 24-year-old Badosa, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 70 and won the first two titles of her career in Belgrade and Indian Wells last season.
The New York City-born Badosa will play third-seeded Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in Sunday's final.
Wimbledon semifinalist Sabelenka smacked 10 aces in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over No. 5-seeded Anett Kontaveit.
Sydney champion Badosa made a stand in a physical 67-minute opening set today.
"The first set, I think it was a very high level from both sides. Either one of us could win it, and I'm very pleased that I could win it," Badosa said. "I was really, really tired and my energy went down.
""She played very well, as well. I was feeling pain everywhere, but as I always say, I'm a fighter and that's what I want to be remembered for, so I'm really happy that I fought until the last moment."
The seventh-seeded Tunisian led 5-3 in the tiebreaker and held set points, but Badosa kept calm and continued cracking the ball under pressure. Badosa saved set points at 5-6 and 7-8 before converting her third set point to take the opening set.
Jabeur answered winning five straight games to start the second set before wrapping it up and forcing a decider.
The world No. 3 reeled off eight straight points breaking at love for a 4-2 third-set lead.
Jabeur broke back in the seventh game, but Badosa was on point taking the final two games snatching her semifinal spot—and securing her place as world No. 2 behind top-ranked Iga Swiatek.