New York, Sep 4 (IANS): Emma Navarro, seeded 13th, outclassed Spain's Paula Badosa in the US Open women's singles quarterfinals after coming from 5-1 behind in the second set to book spot in her maiden Grand Slam semifinal.
Playing in front of her home crowd, Navarro registered a 6-2, 7-5 win after scripting an astonishing comeback in the second set to progress to the last four of the US Open. The result will guarantee her a debut top 10 ranking next week. The 23-year-old American is continuing her breakthrough season which saw her lifting the first WTA Tour title in Hobart in January.
Both players in the match were former major quarterfinalists seeking to advance further. Badosa took over three years to reach the last eight stage again after her first Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros in 2021, while Navarro followed up her Wimbledon quarterfinal debut this year with another at the US Open.
Navarro closed out the match by winning 24 of the last 28 points. In their previous encounter, Badosa came from a set and 2-0 down to defeat Navarro 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in Rome this May. Their rematch was similarly close for much of its 72-minute duration.
Navarro played a clean first set, dominating Badosa, who contributed 16 unforced errors. Badosa lost her opening service game with consecutive double faults and repeated the same mistake in the set's final game.
As in Rome, Badosa fought back in the second set, taking a 5-1 lead as her backhand began to click. However, a solid hold for Navarro at 5-2 sparked a turnaround that few expected, except perhaps Navarro herself. "After I got it back to 5-2, I had a feeling it might be two sets," she said in her on-court interview. "I just wanted to stay tough and hang in there. I can't see the future, but maybe today I could a little bit!"
Navarro quickly rediscovered her form, breaking Badosa for 5-3 with a return winner and using slices, volleys, and angles to destabilise her opponent. Badosa's level dropped again, and at 5-4, she double-faulted twice, then shanked a forehand into the net at 5-6.
The shot of the match was Navarro's forehand drop shot, executed with casual confidence. She opened and closed the match with it, using it to seal her only tough hold of the first set at 5-2, snuffing out Badosa's comeback hopes.
Navarro will next take on either No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka or No.7 seed Zheng Qinwen, both familiar opponents. Navarro upset Sabalenka in Indian Wells but lost to her at Roland Garros. She also held match points against Zheng at the Paris Olympic Games before losing in a tight three-setter.