Paula Badosa: "Tennis is changing because people are stronger and moving better"

Wednesday, 20 April 2022 at 21:45

Updated at Friday, 08 November 2024 at 17:50

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byErik Virostko

World number 3, Paula Badosa, is one of the best players on the WTA Tour, as the Spaniard won three titles in the last 12 months.

While two of the titles come from the hard courts, the first WTA title that Paula Badosa won in her career was on clay in Belgrade. After finishing last season 17-3 on clay, she will try to do the same also this season. After playing in the Charleston Open, Badosa moved to Stuttgart for the 2022 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Ahead of her first clay-court tournament of the 2022 season, the Spanish player talked to the WTA Insider. She spoke about her expectations, especially after the previous success.

"Well, expectations are always high now at the level that I am but I want to be very focused on day by day, enjoying it. It’s going to be very tough. You all know that clay court is my favorite surface, but that also makes it tricky because maybe they think you are even more favorite and now they play better against you."

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Badosa also analyzed her game on the clay, and how it evolves. According to the Spaniard, all of her opponents are stronger and move better, and that's why she also has to adjust.

"In clay, I have to be honest, I just played one tournament and it surprised me because I saw everyone playing very, very fast. Maybe some years ago, it wasn't like that. So I think tennis is changing. It's always an evolution. And I think it's changing because people are stronger, they're moving better, and they're hitting harder, even bigger and bigger. It's getting very fast.

"So I'm adapting myself. I'm seeing the players that are adapting as well. They're improving a lot on that. So I will have to improve on serving bigger, returning very fast as well and playing fast like them."