The last Spaniard on the women’s side, Paula Badosa, bowed out in the third round at the Australian Open after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 loss to Amanda Anisimova, concluding the match in just over an hour and a half.
The Girona native finished Melbourne Park with a sense of momentum, having returned to competition after a six-month layoff caused by a back injury. In the early rounds she had claimed convincing wins over American Taylor Townsend and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, proving she could still contend against top opponents. Her exit came at the hands of a resurgent Anisimova, a player whose recent performances have reminded fans of the form that wowed Paris and propelled her to the Roland Garros semifinals in 2019.
Anisimova herself had taken a break to reset and recharge, a hiatus she described as beneficial. Returning to the tour, she expressed happiness about being back on court and competing at a high level.
On court, Badosa started at 11 a.m. in John Cain Arena, a venue that looked a touch sparse as spectators eased into their seats. The Catalan opened with blistering pace, denying Anisimova early chances and racing to a 4-1 lead. The American then raised her level, shaking off the early pressure to settle into her own rhythm and match the intensity Badosa had shown. The momentum swung as Anisimova began to find rhythm with her aggressive game, producing a sequence of winners and forcing Badosa into longer rallies.
Anisimova created most of her opportunities through clean hitting, though she also sprinkled in occasional unforced errors. Yet the quality shots, especially from the forehand, allowed her to stay in contention and eventually push the set to a close. The first set featured a high number of winners from Anisimova and a steady, if not flawless, showing from Badosa, illustrating the North American’s bold approach and desire to seize control from the baseline.
The second set unfolded with more stability from both players, as they each found ways to hold serve and pressure their opponent. Anisimova, displaying improved consistency, forged a decisive moment with a trio of breaks that carried her to a 3-3 tie before turning the screw further. She closed out the set with a strong run, finishing the set at 6-4 and the match in favor of the American. Badosa concluded the match with a total of 18 winners to Anisimova’s 40, reflecting the latter’s aggressive plan and willingness to take chances when the critical points arrived.
Following the match, Badosa’s ranking rose nearly 18 places to 82nd on the WTA list, a reminder of the depth and renewal present in her season after a year marred by injury. Anisimova’s next assignment pitted her against Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian superstar and reigning champion who had just delivered a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory in a later round to advance. The Swallow of a match in Melbourne had little mercy for her Ukrainian opponent Lesia Tsurenko, showcasing the breadth of talent ready to contend for the title and confirming Anisimova as a formidable force on the hard courts. This marked a historic note, as such a scoreline is rare in deep Grand Slam rounds and highlighted the slipstream effect of precise, aggressive tennis on this stage.
Fans packed the stands at Rod Laver Arena, bundled against the cool Melbourne air, watching the current season’s champions extend their campaigns. Tsurenko, in excellent form and with a clean slate in the draw, had eliminated Rebeka Masarova in straight sets and entered her matchup with Anisimova with confidence, only to meet a familiar rival in the American who has had success against her in recent meetings. The ongoing narrative features Anisimova as one of the sport’s bright young talents who continues to build a compelling case for her rise up the rankings, while Badosa remains a durable opponent capable of turning high-stakes matches with her aggressive style and resilience.
[Citation: Official Australian Open match reports and player profiles]