January 12, (THEWILL) – In a closely contested match that lasted over two and a half hours, ninth seed Paula Badosa, defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia, 7-6(5) 7-5 to secure her spot in the semi-finals of the Adelaide International 2.
The match featured a gruelling 73-minute opening set, which Badosa ultimately won in a tie-break, and an even longer 81-minute second set. Despite trailing early in the match, Haddad Maia fought hard to stay in contention, pulling the first set back to 5-4 with a forehand winner. However, Badosa ultimately proved too strong, finishing the match with eight more winners and one less unforced error than her opponent.
After the match, Badosa praised Haddad Maia’s fighting spirit and acknowledged the difficulty of the match, saying: “To be honest, I know [Haddad Maia] is a fighter, and it was going to be a very long match. She doesn’t give up, no matter what, and I really respect these kinds of players.”
Badosa now faces a tough task in the semi-finals, as she will take on Daria Kasatkina, an opponent she has lost to in two of their past three meetings. Kasatkina was the first player to qualify for the semi-finals after her 6-3 7-6(3) victory over Petra Kvitova. “I’m really happy with my performance and the way I was able to keep my focus in the tie-break,” said Kasatkina after her win.
The semi-final match between Badosa and Kasatkina promises to be an exciting one, as both players will be looking to secure their spot in the final and take home the title.
