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Paula Badosa was stunned by cramps during her season opener but luckily a dose of pickle juice saved the day for the Spanish tennis star. Midway through the second set of her three-hour win over Harriet Dart, Badosa started experiencing cramps.
Badosa called for the trainer and she received treatment and a dose of pickle juice.
In the end, Badosa created a comeback to edge out Dart 6-7 (6) 7-6 (5) 6-1 in just over three hours of play.Pickle juice magic 🥤🪄
Watch as @PaulaBadosa sees an immediate effect after suffering from cramps at the #UnitedCup! pic.twitter.com/QHEvcedPVE — Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 1, 2023
"It was a strange feeling, because to be honest, I started to feel it at the last point of the 2-1 [game]. I served well in that moment, and then I was starting to cramp. I was a little bit surprised, because I did a very good preseason.
But I think that wasn't the reason. I think I was very nervous. I was very tight as well. First match of the season. I play with a lot of emotions, so, yeah, that's a big problem for me," Badosa said, per the WTA website.
Badosa: The pickle juice saved the day
"I took the pickle juice, started to relax a little bit my body.
I think that as well helped me play a little bit more loose and more aggressive. But, yeah, it was a little bit surprising for me, because I don't usually cramp," Badosa added. Badosa was down by two breaks in the first set before she stunningly came back to take a 6-5 lead.
After recovering from two breaks down, Badosa had two set points on Dart's serve in the 12th game but didn't realize as the first set went into a tie-break, in which Dart realized her second set point to win a tight opener.
In the second set, Badosa was three times up by a break but Dart three times recovered to force another tie-break. But this time, Badosa started the tie-break with a 5-0 lead before converting her second set point to send the match into a decider. After winning the second set, Badosa broke Dart twice in the third set to complete a comeback win.