Badosa is "Maria 2.0"

[jimlosaltos]

Spaniard Paula Badosa is, along with Anett Kontaveit, one of the hottest players in 2021 and is in the running for the WTA's "Most Improved" award. See her Tour Portrait for December. All my photos of her came from her championship run in Indian Wells, where she beat Vika in the final.
https://www.tennisplayer.net/members.../paula_badosa/

Paula Badosa's 7 Top 10 Wins in 2021 with opponent's then rank in parentheses:
[1] Barty - charleston
[2] Sabalenka - wta finals
[3] Sabalenka - cincinnati
[3] Krejcikova - indian wells
[6] Sakkari - wta finals
{7} Jabeur - indian wells semis
[8] Swiatek - olympics


A highly-touted junior after winning the 2015 French Open girls' singles, her career on the main tour languished until mid-year when at 23 she won her first title, had a quarterfinal run at Roland Garros, a good run at the Olympics (until she was taken off the court in a wheelchair), then won Indian Wells to make the WTA Tour Finals in Guadalajara, where she won her group before falling to countrywoman and title winner Garbine Muguruza. Turned 24 that week.

She's been called "Maria 2.0" because her cheekbones and fistpumps remind fans of one of Paula's childhood idols, Maria Sharapova. So much so that the stadium of fans in Guadalajara for the WTA Tour Finals were chanting "Maria. Maria." during her matches. Also, as the daughter of two fashion models born in Manhattan, she shares Maria's interest in high fashion. Alas, Paula does not shriek during points < g >.

While Maria emulated Stefi Graf as a professional that didn't get close to many of her competitors, The official WTA photographer noted after posting photo after photo of Paula hugging opponents that she might be the most widely-liked player on tour. Jimmie48: "It’s quite remarkable how Paula {Badosa} seems to be on everyone’s friends list… her name constantly comes up when players are quizzed about acquaintances on tour." {Her round robin group in Guadalajara was nicknamed as the "Huggers", while the other was called the "Snipers'', for the snide disses in pressers and walk-away "handshake" slaps. }

Her game is quite different than Maria's, though. She hits good topspin off both sides, likes to attack by changing directions, but with great foot speed, she starts with solid defense and isn't afraid to drop back to the logo and run. Big hitters that I can't recall ever hitting a drop shot get drawn into trying them against her because Paula is so fast and they can't hit through her. Tennis Channel reported her hitting a peak running speed of over 33 km/h or 21 mph but frankly I'm skeptical. That would be equal to the fastest women sprinters, or top NFL running backs -- and they take 30 meters to reach that speed, a distance one rarely runs in a straight sprint on the tennis court.

Wags note one similarity to Maria that Paula might not be happy about - often hitting serves without fully rotating her arm, and -- perhaps related -- shoulder problems. Witness the strap in the top image here. Dropped out of Cinci with that injury.

Any comments on her serve would be appreciated. On a small sample, I'd say her first serve is quite effective -- reaching up to 119 mph in Indian Wells, and searching online up to 122 mph overall. But her second serve seems more vulnerable. Vika was able to attack it fairly regularly by their third set. It looked as if Paula hit a lot of slice serves for seconds and Vika was sitting on them. I don't know if that means she lacks a good kick, second. Also, watching the Tour Finals on TV, commentators noted that her second serve toss was far in front. Small sample size.




Photos copyright jfawcette.

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[arturohernandez]

Alas, Paula does not shriek during points < g >.

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Unlike Vika. The shrieking thing is annoying I really just feel that there is no way that howling at such a high pitch is natural. I told my daughter that if I were her parent or coach I would have forbidden her from shrieking like that. Sorry, if I am offending someone. But the shriek is offensive and the only reason I can think it is done is to distract opponents so they cannot hear the ball come off the strings.

Badosa is a very good sports woman. No shrieking just hard work like most of the Spanish players. They do not back away from getting fit and maximizing whatever god gave them in terms of tennis ability.

Alas, Paula does not shriek during points < g >.
Any comments on her serve would be appreciated. On a small sample, I'd say her first serve is quite effective -- reaching up to 119 mph in Indian Wells, and searching online up to 122 mph overall. But her second serve seems more vulnerable. Vika was able to attack it fairly regularly by their third set. It looked as if Paula hit a lot of slice serves for seconds and Vika was sitting on them. I don't know if that means she lacks a good kick, second. Also, watching the Tour Finals on TV, commentators noted that her second serve toss was far in front. Small sample size.
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The picture shows her with a tight twist of the racket. To me her arm seems tense and when it is tense it is easy to generate power via strength. Slice is also easy because it just involves cutting the ball. When the arm is loose, then my sense is that the racket can "cup" the ball better. It's like a flinging of the ball. Much like topspin off the ground involves catching and throwing the ball in some way.

A tight arm just leads to the ball coming off the racket like it would off of a piece of wood. You can hit it hard but you cannot generate topspin.

I know Sampras and his body is unique. But we could take a more attainable model. Let's say someone like Feliciano Lopez. He has a sillky smooth delivery and then generates lots of spin. His serve seems extremely loose to me. Many women go for speed over spin and looseness. Ash Barty who is a lot shorter than Badosa uses a lot more topspin and is not vulnerable given her height.

Maybe it yields better results to hit the serve with speed over spin in the WTA. But I still think that a serve that spins in all different directions would mess a returner up.

Those are my 2 cents. Maybe some of the full-time coaches on the board can add theirs. I am curious if my views fit with theirs.

[jimlosaltos]

Here's another photo I was working on that might help. (see 4th one in tour portrait for color version)

Shows full long-axis rotation of arm, although not when it took place.

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[stotty]

Unlike Vika. The shrieking thing is annoying I really just feel that there is no way that howling at such a high pitch is natural. I told my daughter that if I were her parent or coach I would have forbidden her from shrieking like that. Sorry, if I am offending someone. But the shriek is offensive and the only reason I can think it is done is to distract opponents so they cannot hear the ball come off the strings.

I am not entirely sure where shouting and shrieking originated - probably Connors. I think it's a warrior thing. Ultimately the warrior is terrified so comes up with a war cry to intimidate his opponent and at the same time give himself an injection of courage. Strange origins but probably true...fear is probably at the root of it.

[jimlosaltos]

I am not entirely sure where shouting and shrieking originated - probably Connors. I think it's a warrior thing. Ultimately the warrior is terrified so comes up with a war cry to intimidate his opponent and at the same time give himself an injection of courage. Strange origins but probably true...fear is probably at the root of it.

A lot of the resentment to "shrieking" isn't actually due to the volume that some complain about, but the "frequency". Somebody measured volume and found Rafa and Serena were the worst, but most complaints were about women with higher tones around C to A. I've never found a player that bothered me as a fan, although I can understand some opponents might be annoyed.

[stroke]

I can't believe anyone has ever yelled shrieked on the level of Serena. Even Maria.

[jimlosaltos]

Update: Badosa won the AS Sports Award "a prize which recognizes Spain’s most outstanding and inspirational sportspersons of the year." As a teen, she had won the AS Sporting Promise Award after winning the French Open Junior title. This year's AS Sporting Promise Award went to Carlos Alcaraz.
https://www.tennis.com/baseline/arti...sh-sports-gala