Hot-Handed Badosa Holds Off Krejcikova For Sydney Title

Two players who weren’t in the big picture of things on the WTA met a year ago met for the Sydney 500 title, and it was Paula Badosa getting the better of Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4).

Badosa, who won Indian Wells last October, already has a big crown in 2022, winning her third career title.

“I’m really happy that I won my way,” said Badosa who is now 3-0 in finals. “I think the good thing is that I played in a very high level and that I fought until the end.

Badosa improves to 3-0 against Krejcikova who also had a huge breakthrough 2021.

“[We] broke into the Top 100, it was like the same year, almost the same week,” said Badosa. “So it’s very nice to now be both in Top 10 and playing big finals, and I hope we can play much more, because it’s very nice to play against her.”

Krejcikova saved seven match points in a thrilling third set tiebreaker win in the semifinals over Anett Kontaveit. Against Badosa, she overcame a 2-0 break deficit in the third but the ball didn’t go her way in the breaker.

Badosa will head to Melbourne among the list of players who could win the title. She opens Monday against Australia Ajla Tomljanovic.

“Of course [winning the title] gives me a lot of confidence, especially with the level I have played this week,” Badosa said.

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