Paula Badosa dedicates sweet gesture to struggling boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas after her Australian Open 2R win

Paula Badosa continued her Australian Open campaign with a straight-sets win over native player Talia Gibson. It was a wonderful match from Badosa who didn't waste any time in this one. From the start, the Spaniard applied heavy pressure, which her young opponent couldn't deal with, and it ended up being a 6-1, 6-0 beatdown in just 48 minutes.

During the on-court post-match interview, Badosa acknowledged that she was inspired to play very effectively after her boyfriend, Stefanos Tsitsipas, told her she plays long matches.

Tsitsipas, who was in attendance for the match, got to see a very short match, and his girlfriend also showed him appreciation for being as supportive as he is, while urging the crowd to give him applause as he's been struggling with his tennis lately:

"He always complains that I play long matches so today I was really proud of myself. It's amazing to have him on my side. He gives me so much support. Please giving a round of applause because he is not having his best time but he will comeback."

Tsitsipas is a former finalist at the Australian Open, but this year's event didn't go all too well for him. He faced the very tricky Alex Michelsen in the first round and got beaten comfortably, so this encouragement was a sweet gesture from Badosa.

Due to not having to play anymore in the event, Tsitsipas will have a chance to cheer on Paula Badosa as she continues to play super-solid tennis. She could easily have a deep run with how she's playing right now.

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Marta Kostyuk awaits Paula Badosa in the next round

Things won't get easier for Paula Badosa, as with each round, tougher and tougher opponents will be ahead of her. Her next opponent will be Marta Kostyuk, a tough opponent because she plays a hard ball and can hit everything from the baseline. They're kind of similar in that respect, and most of the match will be played between the baselines with the player who has better consistency on that day likely to win.

Badosa is arguably the more talented player and better right now, but Kostyuk has shown a high level so far as well. They've played four times so far, including two times in Australia, with Badosa winning both matches. However, the most recent one was in 2022, and Kostyuk has been a much-improved player since then.