"It's amazing how she plays tennis - she's like Federer on the men's tour" - Paula Badosa on Ashleigh Barty
Paula Badosa has described the way Ashleigh Barty plays tennis as "amazing" and compared the Australian to Roger Federer. The Spaniard also revealed Barty's Australian Open victory made her want to test herself against the World No. 1 again.
Barty has an 11-0 record in 2022 after winning the Adelaide and Australian Open titles for the loss of just one set last month. Tennis analysts, including four-time Major winner Jim Courier, have likened the 25-year-old to the Swiss legend due to her superb backhand slice and all-court game.
Barty re: Courier comparing her slice to Federer's: 'That's very kind from Jim...I think obviously Roger has one of the most exceptional slice backhands in the game. Mine's a long way off that. Absolutely, no stretch of the imagination we are even on the same page at all'
Badosa, who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, broke into the top five of the WTA rankings for the first time last week. The 24-year-old defeated Barty in the pair's first meeting in Charleston last year, before the Australian won their most recent clash in Madrid in May.
In a press conference ahead of this week's WTA event in Dubai, Badosa identified Barty when asked which of her rivals is the player to beat this season.
"I think all the tennis players are going to give you the same name, right? I think Ashleigh Barty," Badosa said. "When I saw her win in Australia it was incredible. I told my coach that I wanted to play her again to see how she feels. She makes everything easy. The tough matches, she makes it easy. It's amazing how she plays tennis. She's like Federer on the men's tour. She does everything with a lot of flow and very easy. I think she's the one to beat."
Badosa is the third seed in Dubai and will play a qualifier in the opening round before a potential second-round clash with Simona Halep or Alison Riske. With Barty not playing in the WTA 500 tournament, World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed.
Ashleigh Barty joined Roger Federer in elite group with Australian Open win
Ashleigh Barty became the fifth active player to have won Grand Slam titles on hard, clay and grass courts by winning the Australian Open last month. The 25-year-old joined four all-time greats - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams - on this exclusive list.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and now Ashleigh Barty.
Those are the only 5 active players to have won Grand Slam titles on hard, clay and grass.
@ashbarty | #AusOpen
Barty claimed her maiden Major title at the 2019 French Open, before winning her second at Wimbledon last year. Her triumph at the Melbourne Grand Slam made her the eighth woman in the Open Era to win the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.