Paula Badosa makes blistering Doha debut, cools surging Clara Tauson

WATCH: Badosa began the 2022 season with a third career WTA title in Sydney.

Paula Badosa shattered her own expectations in scintillating style on Tuesday, dismissing a fast-rising Clara Tauson, 6-1, 6-2 to win her first match at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open.

This time last year neither woman was ranked high enough to enter events in the Middle East, instead opting to play an indoor event in Lyon—where Tauson beat Badosa en route to her first WTA title. But where Tauson is fresh off a breakthrough win over Anett Kontaveit at the Australian Open, Badosa carried a year of big-stage experience into their rematch and cleared the Danish teen in an hour and nine minutes on Grandstand 1 court.

Badosa had enjoyed a strong start to the 2022 season, shrugging off memories of COVID-19 quarantine from a year prior to win her third career title in Sydney and reach the fourth round in Melbourne—both of which helped her arrive in Doha at a career-high ranking of No. 4.

An opening-round exit at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last week remains her lone blip, something the Spaniard blamed on an abrupt shift in conditions.

“I'm not happy that in the same swing, they are changing the conditions a lot, like for example the balls,” she explained in a pre-tournament interview. “I think that's tough, because when you are playing, for example in Australia, we play with the same conditions all the tournaments, so, of course, if they win me or if they play well, I just have to say, ‘too good.’

“But when they change in the same swing and they change the conditions every time, it's tougher for us, for the players.”

It’s as good an explanation as any for Badosa’s defeat to Elena-Gabriela Ruse, but neglects to mention the fact that she led the Romanian 4-1 in the final set before bowing out in three. Thankfully for the No. 3 seed, Doha provides a more familiar bounce that allowed her to feel more optimistic ahead of her clash with Tauson.

“Here in Qatar, the balls are as I played in Australia. Of course, anything can happen, but at least the things that are not in your control are a little bit better.”

Very little was out of Badosa’s control from the outset against Tauson, who began the week with a three-set win over Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic. Reeling off the first five games, she forced the Dane to save three set points just to get on the board, but even that was but a temporary respite when the 24-year-old landed a forehand pass to clinch the lead on her fifth opportunity.

I always will have a challenge, and it's nice to be in this position. I'm really looking forward to play here, to play tough matches—not only here, but also the next tournaments. I think that's what I play for, to play big tournaments, to be in the final rounds. Paula Badosa

Considered by many to be tennis’ next big thing, Tauson gamely made a push in the second set, but found herself unable to counter Badosa’s slice serve and heavy topspin—particularly off the backhand side—and would ultimately lose the final five games, undone by 25 unforced errors to just 14 winners.

Enthusiastically cheered on by boyfriend Juan Betancourt, Badosa will surely be pleased with her own stats: she ended the match with 20 winners and nine aces to finish with a +3 differential against 17 unforced errors. Equally important, she saved all four break points faced over two sets, including one Tauson engineered in the final game.

With the No. 2 ranking in play between Badosa, Aryna Sabalenka, and Barbora Krejcikova, she couldn’t have asked for a better start as she now awaits No. 14 seed Coco Gauff after the American ousted Caroline Garcia, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Gauff and Badosa last played during the latter’s triumphant run to the BNP Paribas Open title, conquering windy conditions to survive the youngster in front of her home crowd.

Seeming at her best in the face of unpredictable obstacles, Badosa is eager to continue defying expectations—her own and those of others.

“It's a new year, so of course I started as a different ranking. Of course, maybe now I'm playing as a favorite, so I'm having this kind of challenge this year.

“But I always will have a challenge, and it's nice to be in this position. I'm really looking forward to play here, to play tough matches—not only here, but also the next tournaments. I think that's what I play for, to play big tournaments, to be in the final rounds. I'm working for that, so I'm really looking forward to that and I'm motivated of this season.”