Quote of the Day: “My talent?” Paula Badosa’s cheeky response to questions about her comeback success

Positive signs abound for a returning Paula Badosa, who is competing in her first couple of tournaments back after a long injury layover that saw her shut down her season after Wimbledon last year.

The 26-year-old missed three of the last four Grand Slams after suffering a spinal stress fracture and dedicated several months to resting and healing.

“I’ve been seeing so many doctors, physios, it was a very long process,” she told press last week. “You cannot control it; it has to heal itself. You’re thinking, 'More hours of treatment, more hours of everything.’ But in the end, it’s patience, patience.”

Picking back up in Australia, Badosa has made it past two tricky early-round opponents, taking down Taylor Townsend 6-1, 6-3 to start the tournament and defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Badosa, a former world No. 2, surely was targeting a return to the top of the game—but she had a cheeky response for journalists in Melbourne who questioned her sudden ability to win tennis matches:

Q: Do you have any explanations as to why you're playing so well so quickly if you didn't expect it?

PAULA BADOSA: Maybe my talent (smiling). No, I don't know.

I think mentally I'm working very hard, and I'm doing a hard work there. As I said in the first press conference, it's not easy for me to see me to accept where I am right now, my ranking. I'm pretty proud. I want to get on top as fast as possible. I'm working very hard.

I worked very hard in the pre-season, as well. I think in this case, it's how my body reacts. I hope my back, it's okay for the next months. I think my level will talk.

Right now, Badosa’s level is speaking loud and clear: Returning with a ranking of No. 100 in the world, the Spaniard cruised past two higher-ranked players (No. 73 Townsend and No. 46 Pavlyuchenkova) on her way to the third round.

“I felt pretty well in that match. But I didn't expect to play this well this early after seven months' break, but I'm pretty happy,” she said. “Let's see how my body—as I always say—reacts tomorrow. But I'm feeling pretty well, so I'm happy with that.”

Up next, she’ll get Amanda Anisimova, a player who is undergoing her own comeback journey after announcing an indefinite break from tennis due to mental health struggles last year. Anisimova toppled No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova to reach the third round.