Paula Badosa Triumphs at Roland Garros with Comeback Victory

PARIS, France — Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa, ranked No. 10 in the world, advanced to the third round of Roland Garros on Thursday after overcoming a set deficit against Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse, ranked 80th.

Badosa lost the first set 6-3 but rallied to win the next two sets 6-4 each on the Simonne-Mathieu court. This marks Badosa’s consistent performance at Roland Garros, where she has reached at least the third round in all her entries, with her best finish being the quarter-finals in 2021.

Next, Badosa will face Australian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 17th, who defeated France’s Leolia Jeanjean, ranked 100th.

During her match against Ruse, Badosa requested medical assistance but clarified in a press conference that it was due to a fever and not a physical injury. “I’m feeling physically better than I expected,” the 27-year-old said. “Tactically today was more about managing other issues, but I’m also feeling better on the court than anticipated.”

Despite her positive outlook, Badosa was cautious about her prospects for the tournament. “Expectations here are zero. Perhaps for Wimbledon or the US Open, I will have higher ones, but here I will try to improve and spend minutes on the court,” she noted. Badosa has faced back problems throughout the season.

She was not the only Spanish player to advance; Jéssica Bouzas, ranked 68th, also secured a spot in the third round by defeating American Robin Montgomery (115th) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, matching her best Grand Slam performance, which she achieved last year at both Wimbledon and the US Open. Bouzas will next play against American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70th.