Paula Badosa delivered a statement upset in the first round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, racing past No.7 seed Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-1 in just 70 minutes.
The result was Badosa's ninth career Top 10 victory and first in exactly 12 months -- since her quarterfinal win over Ons Jabeur here last year. Having lost her last two encounters with Kasatkina in straight sets, the Spaniard also leveled their head-to-head at 2-2.
Since hitting a career-high of No.2 this time last year, Badosa has fallen to No.31 in the rankings and required a wild card to enter Stuttgart. But she has shown an uptick in form as the 2023 clay season has begun. Two weeks ago, the 25-year-old Badosa was a quarterfinalist in Charleston, and she again showed her affinity for the surface against Kasatkina.
Badosa will next face qualifier Cristina Bucsa in an all-Spanish encounter as she bids to return to the quarterfinals for a second straight year. She has defeated Bucsa in both of their previous encounters, at ITF level in 2013 and 2019.
A fine performance from the 2022 Stuttgart semifinalist 💪@paulabadosa gets past Kasatkina and will face compatriot Bucsa for a place in the last eight.#PorscheTennis pic.twitter.com/7ks3fJpIo8
— wta (@WTA) April 18, 2023
Keys to the match: Badosa found the perfect balance of staying aggressive without giving too much away, particularly in a first set that saw her tally nine winners to seven unforced errors. The latter number crept up at the start of the second set, but Badosa was swift to reel herself in again. She finished with 19 winners to 22 unforced errors, with her backhand down the line proving a standout shot.
The former Indian Wells champion was also flawless on serve. She faced just one break point, in the first game of the second set and saved it with a pinpoint forehand winner into the corner.
By contrast, Kasatkina's trademark consistency was not in evidence. She committed 28 unforced errors to only eight winners.
Badosa on aiming to return to the Top 3: "That's what I'm working on every day. That's one of my goals -- I want to be back on the top. I like to play big matches, I like to be in the last rounds of the tournaments.
"I still know I have that level. I still know I was that player. I still believe in myself, and I hope I'm back there very soon."
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Badosa's new team: Badosa, who parted ways with Jorge Garcia in February, is in Stuttgart with a brand new team. She is now traveling with two new coaches, former ATP pros Eduard Esteve Lobato and Pol Toledo Bague, along with fitness coach Jordi Verdaguer.
"I'm very happy with them, and I think it was a good start for them as well," she said.
"We know each other since long time ago. They used to play. Well, now they are not playing anymore. I just told them and asked them if they could help me on my career, and they know me, as I said, from long time ago. So we have a very good relationship on and off court, and really happy to start with them this journey."
Barbora Krejcikova takes the win in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 against Liudmila Samsonova! Congrats. #porschetennis #PTGP23 pic.twitter.com/xSifA4GObI
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 18, 2023
Krejcikova cruises: Also on Tuesday, a late-night first-round clash between Top 15 players went heavily in World No.12 Barbora Krejcikova's favor. Czech Krejcikova dismantled No.15 Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-0 in 1 hour and 23 minutes.
Highlights: Krejcikova def. Samsonova
Samsonova had beaten Krejcikova in their only prior meeting, at Abu Dhabi this year, but 2021 Roland Garros champion Krejcikova exacted her revenge in her first career main-draw match in Stuttgart. Krejcikova's only prior appearances at this event were first-round qualifying losses in 2015 and 2016.
The first set was closer than the scoreline suggests, but Krejcikova fended off all seven of the break points she faced to take the one-set lead. Krejcikova was more dominant in the second set, where she never faced a break point and won all of her seven first-service points.
With the win, Krejcikova lined up a second-round clash against No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka. It will already be the fourth meeting between Krejcikova and Sabalenka this year, with Sabalenka winning two of their three previous showdowns in 2023.
Haddad Maia advances via retirement: Earlier, Beatriz Haddad Maia advanced to the second round after Martina Trevisan was forced to retire trailing 7-5, 1-1 due to a right thigh injury.
Trevisan had led by a 4-1 double break in the first set, and held triple-set point serving at 5-4, only for Haddad Maia to mount a comeback. The Brazilian will face either No.6 seed Elena Rybakina or wild card Jule Niemeier.
