Paula Badosa Advances to Australian Open Fourth Round After Tense Match and Post-Match Drama

The Spaniard addressed a frosty handshake with Marta Kostyuk and clarified a misinterpreted exchange involving her partner Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Paula Badosa defeated Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in a three-set match (6-4, 4-6, 6-3) to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2022.
A cold post-match handshake with Kostyuk drew attention, with Badosa attributing it to Kostyuk's personal stance on Ukraine-related issues and the tough match conditions.
Badosa clarified a moment during the match where she appeared to offer her racquet to her player box, stating it was directed at her coach, not her partner Stefanos Tsitsipas, as some speculated.
Tsitsipas, who faced an early exit from the tournament, has been a strong supporter of Badosa, with both publicly expressing admiration for each other’s resilience and careers.
Badosa will face either Jessica Pegula or Olga Danilovic in the next round as she aims to reach her first-ever Australian Open quarterfinal.