Linda Noskova upsets Paula Badosa in Abu Dhabi

Linda Noskova kicked off the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open with a major upset, shocking No. 2 seed Paula Badosa, 6-4, 6-1.

“I was feeling great,” Noskova said on court. “Obviously, I like night sessions, and it was really my court tonight. I felt comfortable and glad to be back on Center Court.”

The 20-year-old scored her first Top 10 victory of the 2025 season, overpowering the Australian Open semifinalist in 67 minutes on Center Court.

After top seed Elena Rybakina navigated a three-set victory of her own earlier on Wednesday, Badosa looked looked to join Rybakina in the quarterfinals and continue her stellar start to the season. The former world No. 2 roared into her first major semifinal in Melbourne with a win over Coco Gauff, the result returning Badosa into the Top 10.

But Noskova lived up to her reputation as one of the game’s most dangerous floaters, the big-hitting Czech star having already scored six Top 10 victories in her young career including one over Iga Swiatek at the 2024 Australian Open.

Badosa would prove Noskova’s seventh victory as the night session got underway.

“Things are a lot more calm [at night], and there’s a lot less things you can worry about or focus on. It’s really comfortable for me,” said Noskova.

After an exchange of breaks in the first set, Noskova pulled away to lose just one more game in the match, breaking Badosa three times in the second set to surge into the last eight.

In total, Noskova struck a whopping 28 winners to just nine from Badosa, and kept her stat sheet clean with only 18 unforced errors.

Awaiting Noskova there will be either No. 6 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Poland’s Magda Linette.

“I’m just looking forward to another match,” said Noskova, who had won just one match coming into Abu Dhabi after a first-round loss at the Australian Open. “I’ve had some struggles in the beginning of the year, so I’m glad to have every match I can.”