AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2026

Paula Badosa

Press Conference

P. BADOSA/Z. Diyas

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Paula, solid performance out there today. Talk us through your thoughts on the match, what you thought you did particularly well.

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, I'm happy with the match. A win is a win, especially in first rounds of a slam are never easy. She was a tricky opponent. I didn't know her much. I'm happy that I played my best, especially in the important moments. That's when it matters.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your big opponent the last couple years has been your body.

PAULA BADOSA: Myself (smiling).

Q. What have you learned about what you need to do in order to prepare yourself for a season? How did you do it the last couple months? Are there things you do differently now than you did before in order to focus on getting stronger?

PAULA BADOSA: I think it's a tricky situation, especially because it's something that is always going to be there, my injury. I said it since the beginning when it happened a couple years ago: sometimes it's not under my control. I just have to accept it.

But the rest, what is under my control, I try to do it my 100%. I try to do the recovery as the best I can. I try to do the prevention also. I'm doing so many aspects around. I give my 100% in that.

If I get injured again, it's normally in the same spots that I always struggle with, that is the back. Sometimes it's not under my control. That's the tough part for me, that all of a sudden maybe I'm playing amazing or very well, like the beginning of last year, and I get an injury and I have to start over. Yeah, that's the tough part.

But for now I'm feeling good. For now I played a couple of matches and the body is feeling well. I want to stay positive on that.

Q. Are there things you avoid doing now, in terms of your training?

PAULA BADOSA: Well, honestly I think I've been training and working harder than ever. Or that's what I'm going to try, is be the strongest and fittest I can. That was a little bit the goal in pre-season. That's why I did like two months and a half pre-season. We worked very well in the fitness side and the physio side, recovery side. I put all my energy there.

I think my body now is good. It's feeling good. I think that's the way.

Q. How do you go about your training and playing these matches with being able to maybe block out the fear that it will come back again?

PAULA BADOSA: I've never been a person that when I get injured, then when I come back, I think about it. I think in that moment, competitive part just blocks the fear and I just go for it. Then when the pain comes, that's a little bit the problem. I have to start over. Mentally it's really tough to handle.

In that moment I think I'm lucky enough that I'm able to block that feeling. I just compete and go for it.

Q. If you had to change your service match or your forehand motion due to the injury? If yes, the amount of work it demands to rebuild a shot?

PAULA BADOSA: I didn't really change any aspect. Maybe a little bit the serve. The rest, I didn't change anything. I'm just changing the way maybe of training, training a little bit more. We did a very long pre-season in that case.

Yeah, I think that's the only thing I did. As I said, it's an injury that sometimes it's not under our control. It happens. Especially when you're playing a sport that it's so intense, especially on the body. There's sometimes I cannot control it.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the TikTok that you filmed with Aryna and Amanda. Aryna has become No. 1 in the world, and it seems like it hasn't changed her at all. What is it having a friend that has achieved all this success?

PAULA BADOSA: Yeah, we've always had a great relationship. It doesn't matter if she's No. 1 or No. 20 or whatever. In my case it's the same. I think we have a very similar personality in that sense.

I appreciate that she didn't change because you never know sometimes. Yeah, it's nice that we can enjoy on and off court. We have fun. We had fun also in pre-season some days. It's nice we can share moments.

Also with Amanda, she's great also. We were doing the TikTok. She was around. She wanted to join. Why not? I think it's also something that it's not very common to see three of the best tennis players in the world doing that kind of things. I think it's nice to see also, especially for the next generation, that you don't need to be enemies. At the same time you just can do this kind of stuff, then be 100% competitive on court.

Q. Does that mentality feel like it's having an effect on the locker room? Does it encourage more friendship and camaraderie in the locker room?

PAULA BADOSA: I think so. The last years have changed a lot on that. As you know, I try to have a good relationship with many players. I think I achieve that. I think it's good to have this good environment around. It's helpful.

At the end of the day we spend so many hours between us. So yeah, I think that has changed in the past years with the WTA players. I think it's a good sign.

Q. Do you and Aryna plot, let's see if we can get so-and-so to do this with us?

PAULA BADOSA: Sorry?

Q. Do you and Aryna plan?

PAULA BADOSA: No, it was very natural. She was around. We were thinking about doing this. She joined. That was the case in this moment. She's a great girl also. So we have a good relationship since long time ago. Why not?