Australian Open | Badosa: “It’s a process, but I’m ready to get back to 100%”

Spanish Paula Badosa said at a press conference before the start of the Australian Open that his back is healed and that she is ready to once again reach her highest level, which brought her to second position on the WTA list.

“I’m very happy to be back. Last year was very difficult for me. I’m moving back to Melbourne in a couple of years. This is one of my favorite places to play. I have good memories of events that happened a couple of years ago,” he commented on his journey in 2022, when he lost in a decent fourth round against American Madison Keys.

“Obviously, I still need time. It’s a process of coming back to start feeling 100%. I get there, but I’ve been on the couch for seven months. Suddenly playing at the highest level is a process that I think will take time, but I’m ready for it,” explained Badosa, who will start in the first round against American Taylor Townsend.

“To be honest, now I What worries me most is my physical condition. I think from a tennis point of view, Tennis is always nearby. Before being second in the world when I was 70, when I’m now 70, again when I was in the top 10. I think tennis is always here. “What worries me most is how I will cope with this mentally and how I will cope physically,” the Catalan added.

“I think I’m recovering from the worst moment of the season, but I didn’t see the players, I wasn’t at the club. Now that I am and that I’m going to competer, I wouldn’t like to be where I am, in the ranking. It’s hard for me to assimilate and see. “I’m a competitive and proud person, it’s probably not very nice for me to see myself in this situation now,” commented Badosa, who is currently ranked 74th in the WTA rankings.

Badoša, who could face Croatian Donna Vekic (21) in the second round and Belarusian in the fourth round. Arina Sabalenko (2), added that the fact that he trained these days with the players on the track allowed him to understand what his current level was.

“Obviously I’ve been training quite a lot. I always try to train with such players, with Sabalenkothat I have a very good relationship with RybakinaWith he is with (Gill). I also like to train with them a little bit to see where I am and how long I can last with this intensity,” concluded the Spaniard, who makes her debut on Tuesday against Townsend.