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Paula Badosa recently disclosed the reason why she was apprehensive and 'didn't like' facing Simona Halep in the first round at the 2024 Miami Open.
Badosa has been in and out of the tennis court this season due to a persistent lower back injury. She made her comeback at the Miami Open and faced Halep, who was also returning after a reduced four-year doping ban, in the opening match.
Badosa defeated Halep 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 to set up a second-round date with close friend Aryna Sabalenka. During the post-match press conference following her victory over the Romanian, Badosa was asked about her initial thoughts upon learning she would play the former World No. 1 in the first round of the tournament as she was recovering from an injury scare.
The Spaniard admitted she was apprehensive about the draw, expressing skepticism about facing a player of Halep's caliber. She explained that she hesitated because Halep is a player with numerous titles and someone she deeply respects.
"I didn't like it at all. I mean, I'm going to be honest. Even if Simona is 10 years without competing, she's still Simona. She's a big player. She's won so many titles. I respect her so much," Badosa said.
Despite Halep's defeat, Badosa expressed her belief that the two-time Grand Slam champion, who last played at the 2022 US Open before entering the 2024 Miami Open, will soon return to the top of the rankings.
"I mean, today I was impressed. I think she's going to be back on the top very soon. These kind of players, you can never doubt about them because they've been great champions," she added.
A brief look at Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka's H2H record before Miami Open 2R encounter
Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka have met four times on the WTA Tour, with each winning two matches. Their head-to-head record currently stands at 2-2.
Their first encounter took place at the 2021 Western & Southern Open, where Badosa defeated Sabalenka 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4). Later that year, in round one of the WTA Finals, the Spaniard once again emerged victorious against the World No. 2, defeating her in straight sets (6-4, 6-0).
However, Sabalenka turned the tables in their next two meetings. In the semifinals of the 2022 Stuttgart Open, Sabalenka bested Badosa 7-6(5), 6-4 to secure her place in the championship match. Their last clash occurred in the quarterfinals in Stuttgart last year, where the Belarusian won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals.
