Badosa got bounced by Emma Navarro in two sets in the US Open quarterfinal.
Paula Badosa ripped her US Open performance versus Emma Navarro as “a complete disaster” while also admitting that she felt “weird” out there and that there were moments when she wanted to leave the court.
Playing in her first US Open quarterfinal and with a chance to make her maiden Grand Slam semifinal, the 26-year-old Spaniard seemingly got overwhelmed by pressure and emotions as the 13th-seeded American went on to seal a 6-2 7-5 win.
In just an hour and 12 minutes of play, the former world No. 2 blasted a stunning 35 unforced errors while collecting just 10 winners. Overall, it was far from the performance that she needed to win a Slam quarterfinal match against a player who is having a breakthrough season on the Tour.
“I’m very disappointed with my level today. I think she played really good and she managed the situation really well, and I was completely disaster,” Badosa said in her post-match presser.
Badosa admits she wasn’t mentally there
After dropping her service twice in the first set, Badosa bounced back at the start of the second set after opening up a 5-1 lead. But then inexplicably, she shut down for the rest of the match as Navarro won the next six games to overturn a big second-set deficit and complete a straight-set win.
“I just stepped on the court, and I felt weird. I was surprised at myself, because normally I like to play these things, but I think it’s not the court. It was more the round for me, and seeing myself sometimes so close, so far but so close at the same time and with a good level. Your mind, it’s very tough to stay in the present. I think my mind was everywhere except in the present,” the 26-year-old confessed.
Also, the four-time WTA champion admitted that even when she was up big in the second set, she didn’t feel like she was controlling things out there.
“I never had the momentum in this match. I played four or five games okay. It was 5-1, but I never felt myself in the court. I didn’t feel serving well, playing well from the baseline. That’s my biggest strength,” Badosa said.
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