January 21, (THEWILL) – There was an extraordinary upset at the Australian Open early on Tuesday as Paula Badosa eliminated world number three Coco Gauff in straight sets, advancing to her first Grand Slam semi-final with a 7-5 6-4 victory.
The Spanish player, seeded 11th, displayed exceptional skill throughout the match, becoming the first woman from Spain to reach the Melbourne semi-finals since Garbine Muguruza in 2020.
Her powerful baseline game proved decisive against the American favourite.
The victory marks a remarkable return for Badosa, who faced potential retirement due to a back injury just one year ago.
Gauff, who entered the tournament undefeated in 2025, encountered significant pressure from the outset.
The American champion struggled to create break-point opportunities in the first set, which Badosa claimed in 56 minutes.
The Spanish competitor maintained her momentum, securing crucial breaks in the second set.
The decisive moment arrived after a grueling 14-minute opening game in the second set, featuring eight deuces.
Despite a brief resurgence from Gauff, who levelled the score at 2-2, Badosa’s determined performance proved insurmountable, concluding the match in one hour and 43 minutes.
Badosa’s path forward leads to a semi-final clash against either defending champion Aryna Sabalenka or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, setting up what promises to be an intense battle for a place in the final of the first Grand Slam of 2025.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
