ROME (AP) — Paula Badosa showed signs of her former top-five form during a 6-2, 6-3 victory over 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the first round of the Italian Open on Tuesday.
Badosa was ranked as high as No. 2 before she missed the second half of last year due to a back injury that has also slowed her this season. She’s now No. 126.
Badosa jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first set before a 45-minute rain delay and then picked up where she left off against the 40th-ranked Andreeva, who was the WTA tour’s newcomer of the year in 2023.
Badosa reached the quarterfinals in Rome last year but that turned out to be her penultimate tournament of the season.
It was Badosa’s first win since beating Simona Halep at the Miami Open last month in Halep’s return from a doping ban. It also ended Badosa’s six-match losing streak against players ranked in the top 40 that had stretched back to Rome last year.
Michelle Yeoh shines in VERY quirky tin foil
Xi Meets Georgian Prime Minister
Over 500 rescuers rush to put out forest fire in southwest China
Winter sports become new custom of China
Artists paint giant mural to honor Kobe Bryant and Gianna in Manila
Thailand looks to woo 8 mln Chinese tourists
Xi Focus: Xi Stresses Youth, Solidarity, Inclusiveness in Vision for Shared Future
With help from AI, Randy Travis got his voice back. Here's how his first song post
China leads gold tally as teenage diver Quan shines at Tokyo Olympics