Badosa Runs Out of Steam

Paula Badosa's journey at this year's Roland Garros concluded on Saturday against Daria Kasatkina. The Spaniard, running low on energy after two gruelling opening rounds that both extended to three sets and following a bout of fever in her previous match, succumbed to the Australian in a competitive encounter (6-1, 7-5).

Badosa, who aimed to advance beyond the third round for the third time in her career in Paris, started poorly against the Russian-born Australian, trailing 6-1 and 2-0, which hinted at a swift exit from the tournament. Despite being the one pushing and attempting to land winning shots, Badosa struggled to break through Kasatkina's resilience, one of the finest players at returning an extra ball.

Thus, Kasatkina had three chances to lead 3-0 in the second set, making a comeback nearly impossible for Badosa. However, the Spaniard survived a game where she squandered her first six break points and gained composure when rain paused the match for several minutes.

This break allowed her to refresh, receive guidance from her box, including her coach Pol Toledo and partner Stefanos Tsitsipas, and she clung to the match, not conceding a single break point until trailing 6-5. The Catalan's issue was her inability to trouble Kasatkina's serve, who, despite struggles, managed to hold her games and was in a position to return for the match in the thirteenth game.

The Australian created a 0-40 opportunity, and although Badosa saved the first two chances with two excellent parallel forehands, on the third, yet another unforced error—she committed 41 throughout the match compared to her opponent's 17—knocked her out. Kasatkina will face Mirra Andreeva in the Roland Garros round of 16.

Despite the defeat, Badosa leaves the tournament with positives, satisfied with her victories over Naomi Osaka and Elena Gabriela Ruse. It's the first time she has won two consecutive matches since March at the WTA 1000 in Miami, and she appears physically ready to tackle the grass season, where she reached the Wimbledon round of 16 last year.