Spanish WTA star Paula Badosa is a phoenix rising from the ashes. She may have had a setback last season, but that couldn’t diminish her spirit. Now, in Cincinnati, Badosa is showing her true potential. Is she ready to reveal her full colors at the U.S. Open?

Badosa shared her emotional yet inspiring journey from last year on her Instagram story. She posted two photos: one where she was crying after suffering a stress fracture at the 2023 French Open, and another where she was lying on the court after an impressive semifinal run in Cincinnati. “This summer giving up is not an option. Let’ keep fighting,” she captioned it.

Badosa’s back injury last year prevented her from participating in many tournaments. However, after an 18-month struggle off the court, she made her return to professional tennis. Although she lost the Cincinnati semifinals to Jessica Pegula, her performance impressed the tennis world, proving that her potential on hard courts remains strong.

When Badosa defeated American Peyton Stearns in the tournament with a score of 6-2, 7-5, she expressed great confidence. “There are some days I feel a little bit more stiff and I feel the pain, but I have good, a good feeling with physios next to me,” she said. Badosa’s injury was so serious that doctors prescribed cortisone shots at the beginning of spring 2023. This dimmed the 26-year-old’s prospects of a long professional career.

However, the Spaniard didn’t lose hope and continued to fight for her dreams. Reflecting on her challenges last year, Badosa said, “It really is a rollercoaster, and you wake up every day not knowing what is going to happen, emotionally, there have been ups and downs and it’s been tough for me lately.” Despite her fitness struggles, Badosa’s hope and positive mindset helped her return to the court.

While the Spaniard has maintained a positive outlook, she also addressed her on-court aggression, as seen in her match against Pegula in Cincinnati. The match was halted due to rain, adding to Badosa’s frustration. Previously, her aggressive play had brought her favorable results, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win against Pegula this time.

Paula Badosa decodes her “aggressive” attitude on the court

During her match against Pegula, Badosa channeled her old on-court aggression. She was hitting the ball out of the court in frustration and also started a feud with her coach, Pol Toledo Bague, as she struggled to break Pegula’s defense. Although this aggressive approach had served her well in the past, Pegula ultimately defeated her, ending Badosa’s Cincinnati Open journey.

In a press conference at the 2022 Sydney International, Badosa discussed this attitude, saying, “For me, it was a big challenge and a big goal for me to change a little bit of my game this year, being a little bit more aggressive…I’ve never been that aggressive, but I think I had the capacity of being that.”

Paula Badosa’s journey has been an inspiring one. She has proven that with sheer hard work and resilience, nothing is impossible. While her Cincinnati run ended in the semifinals, many hope that Badosa will continue her great form at the U.S. Open.