Paula Badosa has shown a great level in recent months. But no-one would've expected that she would thrash Jessica Pegula as she overcame her rival to win 6-4/6-0 at the China Open as she defeated the US Open finalist.
Although she only produced 38% of first serves, she won 95% of them and 58% of her points with second serves compared to a very low 38 of the American. With respect to the break points, she was perfect, winning the five she had. She only conceded 2 in the whole duel to her rival. In total in the entire duel she won 57 points compared to 34 of her rival showing the dominance of the American born Spaniard in reaching the quarterfinals of the China Open and aims to return to the top 10 of the WTA soon if she continues with her current level of play.
Paula had lost to Pegula the 3 times she had faced her and had recently lost the Cincinnati semis. This result brings her closer to qualify for the WTA Finals (still with 6 places at stake with only Sabalenka and Swiatek with the spot assured). Paula's rhythm is unstoppable: title in Washington, semis in Cincinnati, quarters in the US Open and, at least, quarters in Beijing.
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"She's one the of the players I never want to face -- she's very solid, hits very flat, changes very well direction, so I knew it was going to be tough," Badosa said post-match after she sealed the win. "Yesterday I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.
"I was moving well, my backhand, my forehand was there today, and I fought. Every point was very important for me, especially against Jessica, because she can come back at any moment; I'm really happy for this win, honestly."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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