The year 2021 will not be just any year for Paula Badosa. It will be forever marked in red. The Catalan born in New York raised the flag of Spain in top of the podium in Indian Wells. She has achieved it with only 24 years and her great numbers this year make her shine among the eight best tennis players in the world, nothing more and nothing less. “The first thing I want to do is congratulate all the athletes who are here today, before success there is a lot of work. And I also want to thank the newspaper AS, which has always treated me very well, “he said.
The one in Barcelona is one more that joins the factory of great talents that Spanish tennis is giving. This started with Manolo Santana, who just left us. He was the one who opened the door to the Bruguera, Corretja, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Moyá … and nowadays to the Nadal, Muguruza, Carreño and of course the recipient of the AS Sports Award Paula Badosa.
Well, Paula in 2021 is a milestone. He started the year in 70th place in the world ranking and ends it in 8th. And it was not a bed of roses. It started with a misstep after catching Covid while traveling to Melbourne. But his knew how to recover soon. Shortly after it was semifinalist at the WTA 250 in Lyon, where she managed to beat Ashleigh Barty, current world number one. The Australian was her executioner days later in the Madrid Masters in the semifinals. Everything was rolling. At Roland Garros she reaches the quarterfinals, something that allowed her to rise to 33rd place in the WTA ranking. Consequently, to play their first JJ OO, in Tokyo. But there was still the jackpot. It was on October 17 when she achieved her first WTA 1,000 trophy, after defeating an entire Azarenka in Indian Wells. The Spanish is here to stay. Spain has a pearl on the slopes.
“This award is very special for me, six years ago I was here collecting the Promise award. My words that day were ‘I hope I return and it is already a reality’. And so it has been. The work is done, if you fight and trust, dreams come true ”, she said proudly. From the AS Promise Award to the AS Sports Award.
At 24 years of age, the hatching has come, his moment. But Badosa has been fighting for this dream since she was very young. At just 17 years old, she was proclaimed Roland Garros junior champion. It was not easy. She was a minor and the pressure came back on her. They were years of doubts, tachycardias, psychologists … even with the option of leaving tennis aside, his great passion. With courage and work in the shadows, he managed to overcome his fears. Now, his moment in the elite comes stronger than ever. ORn infinite shine envelops her, she wore it with a smile at the Hotel Palace in Madrid, where she was paid a great tribute. And deserved. A splendid future awaits Badosa and Spanish tennis.