Men's tennis vs Women's tennis: Corretja gives his verdict on the differences while analyzing Sabalenka-Badosa clash

Alex Corretja discussed the differences between men’s and women’s tennis while analysing the match between Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open semifinals. The Belarusian secured a 6-4, 6-2 victory over the Spaniard to reach the tournament final.

The former Spanish player highlighted the significant rise in power in women’s tennis, which makes it harder for players to sustain long rallies compared to men, who can maintain extended exchanges due to physical characteristics.

Read also

Alex Corretja predicts "tumultuous" 2025 season: Sinner and Alcaraz face new rising talents at Australian Open

Corretja, a former World No. 2, shared his insights on Badosa’s performance during the semifinal on El Larguero, a sports programme by Cadena SER in Spain. The discussion shifted to the differences between men’s and women’s tennis, noting the unpredictability of women’s tournaments.

“Tennis has become a sport of immense power, and today, many women like Sabalenka, Badosa, and others play with intense physicality,” he said. “Physically, it’s sometimes harder for them to recover certain shots compared to men, who can reach balls that women might not be able to.”

“This makes women’s tennis a bit more unpredictable because, after hitting three or four powerful shots, it’s naturally more difficult for them to recover,” Corretja explained. “But when you watch Djokovic, Nadal, Alcaraz, or Zverev, their physicality allows them to retrieve far more balls.”

Read also

Preview Women’s Final 2025 Australian Open: Can Madison Keys break Aryna Sabalenka’s Melbourne domination?

“That’s why there’s more rallying in men’s tennis despite the power. Women’s tennis is improving significantly in this regard, but power sometimes overshadows consistency,” the former World No. 2 added. “What Badosa highlighted was, ‘What surprised me about Sabalenka was her power combined with consistency.’ That’s what threw Paula off her game.”

Despite the loss, Badosa can take positives from the tournament, having reached her first Grand Slam semifinal. After contemplating retirement two years ago, Badosa now appears to be at least at the level she showed when she became World No. 2. She looks ready to climb the rankings and contend at major tournaments. Additionally, she has secured her return to the Top 10 after two years.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe