'Win, win, win' - Badosa battles through at US Open

Fourth seed fights back to reach last 16

Fourth seed Paula Badosa found her fighting spirit to reach the US Open last 16 on Saturday. The Spanish star rallied past Tereza Martincova, prevailing 7-5, 6-1 in an hour and 36 minutes.

Badosa, 24, is seeded for a Grand Slam title for the second time in her career and has now made the fourth round in New York for the first time.

Badosa's battling qualities

In the first set, there was little between the two players as they traded breaks at 2-2 and 3-3. Both players held their own serve until the 12th game, when Badosa broke to love to take the opener.

That proved crucial as Badosa began to find her rhythm in the second set. She broke in the first game and consolidated that break with another in the third. Martincova rallied briefly to break back, but Badosa immediately hit back and won the final three games to seal victory.

Badosa will now face Petra Kvitova for a place in the quarter-finals. Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, beat Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-2 earlier on Saturday.

Badosa battles through

• Fourth seed Paula Badosa overcame Tereza Martincova to reach the US Open fourth round for the first time.
• Badosa, seeded for a Grand Slam title for the second time in her career, had to fight hard to overcome the Czech player.
• The Spanish star's battling qualities saw her through a tough first set and into the last 16.

Fighting spirit

Badosa has been praised for her fighting spirit in New York. This is her best performance at a Grand Slam since reaching the quarter-finals of the 2021 French Open, and she is now just one win away from equaling that performance.

The Spaniard is known for her aggressive style of play and her ability to hit winners from all over the court. She is also a very good mover and can cover the court well.

These qualities were all on display against Martincova, as Badosa was able to break down her opponent's defenses and force her into errors. She also showed great resilience in the first set, when she was unable to convert a number of break points.

Badosa's coach praises her fighting spirit

Badosa's coach, Jorge García, praised her fighting spirit after the match.

"She showed a lot of fighting spirit today," García said. "She was able to come back from a break down in the first set and then win the second set very comfortably. She is a very tough competitor and she never gives up."

Badosa will now face a tough test against Kvitova, who is a two-time Wimbledon champion. However, if she can continue to show the same fighting spirit, she will have a good chance of reaching the quarter-finals.