Badosa, first Spanish semifinalist since 2003

Paula Badosa achieved this Thursday in Indian Wells what Carla Suárez and Garbiñe Muguruza had not achieved in recent years: overcome the quarterfinals in Indian Wells. The Catalan defeated the former number one and winner of three Grand Slams Angelique Kerber by 6-4 and 7-5 and will play on Friday (around 04:45 Spanish time, Teledeporte) against the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (won by 7-5 and 6-3 to the Estonian Kontaveit) the semifinals of the WTA 1,000 of the California desert. She is the first Spaniard to go this far in the tournament since Conchita Martínez, who did it in 2003. From the Aragonese are the best results of the women’s Navy there: the finals that they played in 1992 and 1996.

“It means a lot to me, because Spain has had very good players that I followed when I was a child,” said Paula., who knocked down two doors in one fell swoop, because his triumph could be worth him to enter the top-20 for the first time. After starting 2021 in 72nd place, she is virtually 20th and another victory would place her 17th, out of the reach of Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko, the other two semi-finalists, one of whom could leave her without a prize if she lifts the title and Badosa does not reach the final. If the chronicler does not fail the documentation, it would be the eighth Spanish to enter among the 20 best in the world since the ranking was established in 1975 (see table).

At the moment, the player who has been training for only a few weeks Jorge García, who has known her since she was 15 years old, no one will take away the merit of beating one of the best players of the last decade, with whom he had never measured, after eliminating the fifth in the standings on Wednesday, the Czech Krejcikova, in what was his fourth win of the season against a top-10. Before he had been able to with Barty (1st), Sabalenka (3rd) and Swiatek (8th). Badosa’s potency and hunger overcame Kerber’s wisdom, which he lost when he tried a good dose of his own medicine, defense. Because in the last game of the match, the tennis player born in New York 23 years ago, ten years after the German, won from resistance and counterattack.

Nerves and pride

A reward for their effort and great relief after blowing a 5-2 lead and two match points in a second set that “was very mental.” “I wanted desperately to win, I got very nervous and it made me even more nervous to know that I could beat a champion of three majors. She raised the level and I accepted the moment, I kept fighting and I managed to win. I’m proud, “she explained. She is now two steps away from making history in the so-called fifth Grand Slam. His season is already fantastic. This will be her second semifinal of a WTA 1,000 after the one in Madrid last May and if she pushes a little more she could still play the Women’s Masters in Guadalajara the second week of November. It is their moment.

Results, table and calendar.