MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥� retooled forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst way and at the worst time at the . The unforced errors just kept accumulating Tuesday, and so did the double-faults and break points, often followed by a palm placed over her eyes or a slap to a thigh.
Add it all up, and Gauff's trip to Melbourne Park 鈥� and her 13-match winning streak that dated to late last season 鈥� ended in the quarterfinals. Never able to take control on a hot afternoon in Rod Laver Arena, the 2023 U.S. Open champion was eliminated by No. 11 Paula Badosa of Spain 7-5, 6-4.
Using tweaks to some key strokes, and a change to her coaching team after a disappointing end to her title defense in New York in September, the 20-year-old Gauff arrived in Australia with hopes of earning a second Grand Slam title.
鈥淚 feel like (at the) U.S. Open, I was playing with no solution, so that was more the frustrating part. Today, I feel like I鈥檓 playing with solutions; I know what I need to work on. U.S. Open, I needed to work on my serve. Not saying that my serve is where I want it to be, but I worked on it; obviously, a big improvement. So I want to continue working on that, continue working on playing aggressive,鈥� Gauff said.
鈥淪o I feel like I鈥檓 on the road to the right way, right path,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven though I lost today, I feel like I鈥檓 in an upward trajectory.鈥�
The American entered Tuesday with a 9-0 record in 2025; she also won her last four matches of last season to collect the in November.
鈥淛ust a lot more work to do,鈥� Gauff said after the 1-hour, 43-minute loss to Badosa, who had been 0-2 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. 鈥淚鈥檓 obviously disappointed, but I鈥檓 not completely crushed.鈥�
Badosa now heads to her first Grand Slam semifinal at age 27 鈥� and less than a year after she was contemplating retirement because of a stress fracture in her back that took what felt like forever to heal and did not initially respond to cortisone injections.
鈥淚 wanted to (give) it a last try,鈥� Badosa said, 鈥淲ell, here I am. So I鈥檓 really proud of what we went through with all my team and especially how I (fought) through all that, especially mentally.鈥�
In Thursday鈥檚 semifinals, she will go up against her close friend, No. 1 , the two-time defending champion in Melbourne. Sabalenka by getting past No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
reached his 50th Grand Slam semifinal as he pursues a record 25th trophy at a major, getting past Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 across more than 3 1/2 hours in a match that ended at nearly 1 a.m. Djokovic took a medical timeout late in the first set to get his left leg taped but later said he eventually felt better thanks to pills he was given by the tournament doctor.
Djokovic will now face No. 2 , a two-time finalist at other majors, on Friday. Zverev got to the final four in Melbourne for the third time since 2020 by beating No. 12 Tommy Paul 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1. Paul was one point from taking the first set, then a point from taking the second, but couldn't close the deal, and Zverev was simply superior in the ensuing tiebreakers.
Badosa was hurt during a practice at the tournament in Rome in May 2023, shortly after she began working with coach Pol Toledo. A year later, including several months off the tour, there still were issues.
鈥淭he reality is that the back was not responding. We couldn鈥檛 find a solution. Paula was frustrated,鈥� Toledo said. 鈥淚 was like: This is not working. I don鈥檛 know what we have to do.鈥�
Relying on a new doctor, fitness coach and nutritionist, Badosa tried different exercises and supplements, and her back improved.
鈥淭he puzzle,鈥� she said, 鈥渟tarted to look better.鈥�
On Tuesday, she kept the pressure on Gauff, who finished with 41 unforced errors, including six double-faults and 28 missed forehands. Badosa compiled 10 break points and won four of Gauff's service games. Gauff, meanwhile, never earned so much as a single break point until after already down a set and a break.
One key game 鈥� and one that illustrated Gauff鈥檚 problems on this afternoon 鈥� started the second set. It lasted 22 points spread over more than a dozen minutes, and Badosa converted her fifth break chance after Gauff missed two forehands in a row.
Of Badosa鈥檚 12 points in that game, 11 came via mistakes by Gauff, including seven errant forehands.
鈥淭oday,鈥� Gauff said, 鈥渟he did better in those key moments.鈥�
When Badosa ended the quarterfinal with a forehand winner, she placed her hand over her mouth, then knelt on the ground and bowed her head. This was a big moment for someone who reached a career-best ranking of No. 2 in 2022, but only now believes she's reached her full potential.
鈥淓motionally, I wanted it so much,鈥� Badosa said. 鈥淚鈥檓 never going to feel freedom until I win the tournament. I鈥檓 always like this. It鈥檚 my personality. It鈥檚 my character."
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP鈥檚 tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: . More AP tennis:
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
