Paula Badosa played set and a half at a high level but finally succumbed to the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, second player in the world and second seed, in the quarterfinals in Stuttgart (Germany) 4-6, 6-4 and 6 -4 , after two and a half hours of intense game. In this way, the Catalan tennis player cannot defend the semifinals of the German tournament, which causes another significant drop in the ranking. Although a year ago she came out of the same contest as the second racket of the WTA and next Monday she will be out of the 'top 40'.
Sabalenka's seven straight games turned the game around and canceled out the great start of the Catalan, who was fighting to reach her first semi-final since Adelaide last January. Madrid will be his next stage. "Badosa played incredible tennis today. I just tried to keep fighting, keep trying to find my game. She is a great player and I am sure that very soon she will be in the top 10 again," Sabalenka said.
The last clash between the two players had been a year ago on the same stage, albeit in the semifinal round, and Sabalenka comfortably took the match in two sets, her first victory in three meetings against Badosa. This time things were different from the start, because the number 31 in the ranking came out of the game with great confidence, the same one he had exhibited since the tournament began.
Badosa did not suffer on serve and the rest soon got a break that cleared the way for him. Only at 5-4, when he had to close the set, he conceded three 'break' balls, which he solved before taking the set with his third direct service point.
Sabalenka, winner this year of the Australian Open but without a title since, also fell behind early in the second set and, in her rush to regain ground, made frequent mistakes. Opposite, the Spanish had in the parallel the best tool of hers to continue commanding on the scoreboard.
But the effort of the Belarusian was rewarded and, starting at 4-2, she added four games in a row, including two breaks, and took the second set. Sabalenka's reaction did not stop there, she went up 3-0 in the third set, while Badosa remained stuck at the bottom of the track before the repeated attacks of the number two in the world.
Badosa took the opportunity to rejoin the game by recovering the 'break' (2-3). After another exchange of serves, Sabalenka had a match point. He did not go to the first, but he did to the second, when he ended the resistance of the Catalan.
