"If it wasn't a Slam, I'd perform well" - Paula Badosa laments 'disaster' performance under pressure after US Open QF collapse

Paula Badosa lost six consecutive games against Emma Navarro from 5-1 up in the quarterfinals of the 2024 US Open, leading to a straight-sets defeat to the American in an hour and 12 minutes. The Spaniard claimed she might have performed better had it not been a Grand Slam.

Badosa, who had been steadily making her way back to the upper echelons of tennis after struggling with a lower back injury for more than a year, had a phenomenal North American hardcourt swing. She kicked off the swing by winning the Mubadala Citi DC Open and made it to the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open.

The Spaniard reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows where she was ousted by home favorite Navarro 6-2, 7-5. Interestingly, Badosa led Navarro 5-1 in the second set, but the American won six games on the trot to reach the semifinals of the US Open.

During the post-match press conference, Paula Badosa, though disappointed, said that she was proud of the results she had managed to produce during the swing and admitted that the results completely surpassed her expectations.

“Yeah, now I say it's a disaster, but when I started in Washington I would sign all the results, for sure. And coming from where I'm coming from, look, I have to be happy. I don't know. Maybe I'm 15 in the race, so I wasn't expecting that a few months ago. So on that, I'm really proud of myself," Paula Badosa said.

The 26-year-old also said that she would have performed better had it not been a Grand Slam and admitted that she didn't know the best way to handle the situation, alluding to her consecutive six game loss.

"The thing that for me makes me the way I am today, it's a Slam and, you know, your dream is always to make last rounds in a Slam. Performing the way I performed today, I know that if it wasn't a Slam I would perform well. So that's what's a little bit why I'm like this today, you know. Because I didn't know how to handle it the best way."

Badosa also said that she was disappointed as she would have to wait another four months before the next Grand Slam.

"Now I have to wait four months for the next Slam, so it sucks."

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"I had a little bit of an inkling it might be two sets" - Emma Navarro on her second set comeback against Paula Badosa

Emma Navarro (Image Source: Getty)

During her on-court interview, Emma Navarro said that when she won the first game of six against Paula Badosa, she had an 'inkling' that she would be winning the match in straight sets.

“After I got it back to 5-2 I had a little bit of an inkling it might be two sets. Crazy to be moving on to the semifinals. US Open baby!”

When asked to confirm if she had an 'inkling', Navarro joked that she could see into the future during the match.

“I always say I can’t see the future. But today maybe I could a little bit.”

Emma Navarro will play the winner of the match between the seventh seed Zheng Qinwen and the second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals of the 2024 US Open.