Arizona Tribune - Badosa 'loves Coco' but is gunning for 'revenge' in Melbourne quarters

NYSE - LSE
RBGPF 100% 69.02 $
RELX -6.81% 48.16 $
NGG -5.25% 65.93 $
VOD -10.24% 8.5 $
GSK -6.79% 36.53 $
CMSC 0.13% 22.29 $
RYCEF -18.79% 8.25 $
AZN -7.98% 68.46 $
RIO -6.88% 54.67 $
SCS -0.56% 10.68 $
JRI -7.19% 11.96 $
BCC 0.85% 95.44 $
BCE 0.22% 22.71 $
BTI -5.17% 39.86 $
CMSD 0.7% 22.83 $
BP -10.43% 28.38 $
Badosa 'loves Coco' but is gunning for 'revenge' in Melbourne quarters
Badosa 'loves Coco' but is gunning for 'revenge' in Melbourne quarters / Photo: Paul Crock - AFP

Badosa 'loves Coco' but is gunning for 'revenge' in Melbourne quarters

Paula Badosa declared Sunday she "loves" Coco Gauff -- but that will not prevent her looking for "revenge" when they face off in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Text size:

Badosa, the 11th seed from Spain, swept aside Serbia's Olga Danilovic 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) to reach a last-eight clash with the American world number three.

"I love Coco. I respect her a lot," Badosa told reporters of the 20-year-old.

"She's a great competitor. We always have tough matches."

The pair have a 3-3 head-to-head record but Gauff won both their meetings in 2024, with each going to three sets.

The last time was in the semi-finals of the WTA China Open in Beijing, where Gauff won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on her way to lifting the title.

"Last one was really tough for me because I was winning in that moment, then the momentum changed," said Badosa, 27, who is prepared to go the distance again.

"I hope I can have my revenge here. It's a special match, quarter-finals, centre court, against her," added Badosa, who is into a quarter-final at Melbourne Park for the first time.

"I always enjoyed playing against her. I respect her so much. I will get ready for that battle again.

"She didn't lose a match this year, if I'm not wrong. She's full of confidence. But I'm playing well, too. I'm ready to face her."

The last time a Spanish woman reached the last eight at the Australian Open was in 2020 when Garbine Muguruza achieved the feat.

Badosa can reach a maiden Grand Slam semi-final if she beats Gauff on Tuesday, having also reached the last eight at Roland Garros in 2021 and the US Open last year.

"I haven't experienced a lot of (Slam) quarter-finals. I need to experience more of these moments to know how to deal and to face them.

"My dream is always to be in the final rounds of a Slam. It would mean a lot."

P.Hernandez--AT