Adelaide International 2: Badosa withdraws from semifinal due to thigh injury

Adelaide, Jan 13 (IANS) The No.9 seed tennis player from Spain, Paula Badosa withdrew from her Adelaide International 2 semifinal match against No.5 seed Daria Kasatkina of Russia due to a right thigh injury, the tournament organisers said on Friday.As a result of Badosa's withdrawal, Kasatkina moves into Saturday's final via walkover.Spanish No.1 Badosa engaged in a gruelling quarterfinal match against Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia that stretched beyond two-and-a-half hours with a 74-minute first set followed by an even longer 81-minute second set.The Spaniard, however, is still looking ahead to playing at the year's first Grand Slam, the 2023 Australian Open, which begins on Monday in Melbourne."I'm really disappointed that I had to withdraw today because I was really looking forward to the match," WTA quoted Badosa as saying. "Yesterday when I was playing against (Beatriz Haddad Maia), it was a very tough match, especially physical, so I felt a little bit in my abductor. I felt like I pulled it a little bit."Today I feel a little bit worse, so yeah, I have the Australian Open ahead, and I hope I can recover for that."Mentally, I was feeling very well, as well. I played three really good matches. I think that helps me, as well, with my confidence for the tournaments ahead. Now it's something that I cannot control, so it is what it is."In Saturday's final, Kasatkina will play the winner of the match between Swiss player Belinda Bencic and Veronika Kudermetova of Russia.
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