Paula Badosa: Don't know if women could take trash talk in tennis
Things are heating up nicely at the 2023 Charleston Open, with a slew of top names including Paula Badosa and Jessica Pegula posting big wins over the course of the opening few days.
The duo, who managed to book their respective spots in the last-16 without much trouble, are seemingly enjoying the conditions in Charleston. They have even managed to squeeze in interesting conversations about tennis in between their busy schedules.
Badosa, in conversation with the Tennis Channel, reacted to Pegula and Coco Gauff's earlier comments, endorsing more "trash talk" on the tennis court.
The Spaniard said she was "in" for more players indulging in trash talk, reasoning that the same could bring some interesting changes to the otherwise "polite" sport.
Badosa went on to joke that she was anyways talking "trash" all day, and if given a chance, would love to use the same to her benefit on the tennis court.
"I'm in," Paula Badosa said. "Yeah, I mean I'm all day talking trash on the court, but no, I mean, it would be totally different. We're not used to that. I mean, traditionally tennis is, it's very, like, polite, but why not?"
Badosa further stated that a new generation and era was on the horizon for tennis and that things could soon be "different" from the traditional ways. The Spaniard, however, was quick to add that she was not sure if female players were ready for trash talk as much as their male counterparts.
"It's a new generation, it could be a change and it could be different and fun," Badosa said. "But I don't know if women could take that. Like maybe they take a little bit more personally, but on men's side, like, I can see it for sure."
"On, anything, I mean," she said of her go-to when it comes to trash talking her opponents. "First thing that comes to my mind."
Paula Badosa to take on Diana Shnaider in the Charleston Open Round of 16
Paula Badosa came through with a tight 7-5 7-6(6) win over 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandaz in the second round of the 2023 Charleston Open. Reacting to her win in the same interview with Tennis Channel, she said:
"It was very intense as she started unbelievably well, Paula Basoda said after the win. " At the beginning I was thinking, is it me or she's playing very, very good. So yeah, she was playing well, she was going for it, lines, serving well and I had to adapt very fast because everything was going very fast."
The Spainard has now booked a pre-quarterfinal date with Russia's Diana Shnaider, who stunned Veronika Kudermetova in the previous round.