Paula Badosa Blossoms as Women’s Tennis’ Newest Star in Desert With Indian Wells BNP Title

By 10sballs Staff
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Updated: October 18, 2021

Paula Badosa of Spain celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during the women’s final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 October 2021. EPA-EFE/RAY ACEVEDO

By: 10sBalls.com Staff

First, it was Naomi Osaka. Then came Bianca Andreescu. Two and a half years and a global pandemic later… meet Paula Badosa.

The BNP Paribas Open has become a sort of launching ground for women’s tennis’ newest stars in recent years with the last two champions both going on to win the US Open crown for their maiden Grand Slam titles later that year.

The fall 2021 version of Indian Wells in October will have Badosa go to Melbourne next for the Australian Open with ten months before the US Open, but either way it sure seems another name has been added to that list of transcendent young stars the WTA is dominated by today.

Badosa, a 23 year-old from Spain who has enjoyed without a doubt the best season of her career in 2021, took on the dominant women’s player of the last decade in the California desert, former world number one and two-time Grand Slam and Indian Wells champion Victoria Azarenka in the feature match on Sunday. It was a hot, brutal day on court that saw Badosa and Azarenka battle for over three hours with high-octane competition, a cornucopia of lung-busting rallies, and tons of intensity.

Paula Badosa of Spain (L) and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus embrace after the women’s final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 October 2021. EPA-EFE/RAY ACEVEDO

While Azarenka, going for her biggest title since winning here in 2016 before the birth of her son Leo and a record third Indian Wells trophy- a feat never accomplished by a woman at this tournament- served for the match and came within two points of the championship, it was Badosa who made the Belarusian pay serving on the end of the court into the sun, breaking her to force a final-set tiebreak.

Paula Badosa of Spain reacts after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during the women’s final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 October 2021. EPA-EFE/RAY ACEVEDO

Ultimately, it was Badosa’s steely resolve that featured prominently all tournament that won her two tiebreaks against one of women’s tennis’ fiercest competitors, stopping Azarenka 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 in surely one of the matches of the year and one of the best women’s finals in Indian Wells in a long, long time.

Badosa moves now to a career-high ranking of number 13 in the world and lucky number eight in the Race to the WTA Finals in Guadalajara- originally slated for Shenzhen, China- later this year, firmly putting the young Spanish face amongst the biggest faces in women’s tennis.