Paula Badosa regains confidence but jokes about avoiding Elena Rybakina

After reaching the quarterfinals of the Credit One Charleston Open on Thursday, Paula Badosa joked that although she was starting to regain her confidence, it could dwindle if she were to face Elena Rybakina.

Despite Badosa leading 4-3 head-to-head against the 2022 Wimbledon champion, it seems that her two defeats against Rybakina (not playing in Charleston) at the recently-concluded Sunshine Double have affected her significantly.

While the Kazakh player beat the Spaniard in straight sets in the third round of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Badosa squandered a match point to once again lose to Rybakina in the third round of the 2023 Miami Open.

The World No. 33 has had a forgetful start to her season, with an injury forcing her to pull out of the 2023 Australian Open. However, she is starting to feel at home again on the court after winning three consecutive matches at the WTA 500 event in Charleston.

Speaking to Tennis Channel after beating Diana Shnaider 6-1, 6-3 on Thursday, Badosa said:

"I feel I'm getting there. My tennis, especially when I'm on the court, I'm feeling like the court is home again. You know, sometimes you don't feel that and lose the confidence. So I'm feeling I'm starting to get that confidence but you never know, maybe I play Rybakina again and you never know."

Since 2020, the 25-year-old Spaniard has the third-most wins (34) on clay among women. She credited her physical fitness and her fighting spirit for her success on the red dirt.

"I think I have very good physical [fitness]. I could stay three hours on the court, I think that helps a lot on clay court," Paula Badosa said. "My game as well, I like to play with a little bit of spin, especially the forehand. And I fight. I think when you fight on clay, you always have tough matches and if you are there a lot of times, the matches go on your way."

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Paula Badosa to face Jessica Pegula in Charleston Open 2023 QF

Paula Badosa

Twelfth-seed Paula Badosa and top-seed Jessica Pegula will clash in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Credit One Charleston Open later today (April 7). This will be only the second tour-level meeting between the two players, with the Spaniard retiring mid-match against the American during the 2022 Miami Open quarterfinals.

In the ongoing tournament, Badosa downed Mayar Sherif, Leylah Fernandez, and Diana Shnaider to reach the last eight. Pegula, on the other hand, received a bye in the first round before defeating Anna Blinkova and Irina-Camelia Begu.