Paula Badosa looked in complete control during her straight sets first-round win over Fiona Ferro at the 2022 Roland Garros but the Spanish player admitted to having nerves during the contest.
Badosa was in complete control during her opening-round victory, which only lasted 55 minutes. The world number three brushed aside 130th-ranked Ferro and dropped just two sets in an emphatic 6-2, 6-0 win that saw the Spanish player cruise into round two in Paris.
It was a commanding start for Badosa and a much-needed confidence booster following a challenging clay-court season so far in 2022. Before the Roland Garros, the Spanish player won just six of her 10 matches on clay and suffered an early exit at the Madrid Open and fell at the round of 16 stage at the Italian Open - which could have led to an anxious start at the Roland Garros.
Ultimately, the 23-year-old will want to build on this performance and improve on her quarter-final run at the French Open last season. Although she looked composed throughout the clash against Ferro - Badosa said the nerves were rife during the match.
"Every match helps. Every minute on court helps, I think her game helped me, as well, because I could play quite a long rally, so I could feel myself there. I'm happy that nobody noticed how nervous I was on court."
Yet Badosa also stated that she was pleased with how she composed herself in the match to produce her best tennis. The Spanish player is seeded third at the 2022 Roland Garros so a dominant early win will calm her nerves and show her challengers that she can be a serious force at the clay-court Grand Slam.
Despite her nervousness, Badosa said that every minute on the court helps to build momentum - something which she will hope to take into her second-round clash following this big first-round triumph.
"I'm happy that I managed the nerves pretty well. At the beginning I was very nervous, to be honest. I was moving a little bit slow, and I needed a few games to get used to all the situation, but I'm happy that I managed that very well."
"For me, it's not important for me to win with 50 minutes or three hours. Every minute on court counts, and every win counts, and it helps you build your confidence again. I think that's the key of my match today."