Badosa will face her friend Sabalenka in Australian Open semifinals - ESPN

As the enamored crowd at Rod Laver Arena looked on, Paula Badosa fell to her knees.

She stayed on the ground for a moment as she leaned over with her arms outstretched. She had just beaten Coco Gauff, the No. 3 seed and clear match favorite, in a decisive 7-5, 6-4 victory and had advanced to the first major semifinals of her career.

The moment meant everything.

While it had seemed like an inevitability for Badosa at one point earlier in her career, this breakthrough came after a debilitating back injury left her future in the sport in doubt. When Badosa played at this tournament 12 months ago, she was uncertain about how much longer she would be able to continue playing as she was simply unable to get the pain under control.

"[But] now I'm here playing against the best in the world," Badosa said. «I won today, [now] I'm in the semifinals. I would never think a year [later] I would be here.»

And on Thursday, Badosa, the former world No. 2, will have a chance to reach her first Slam final in a semifinal clash against two-time defending champion — and one of her closest friends — Aryna Sabalenka. It's a daunting task but one that Badosa is ready for.

«I've been through a lot,» Badosa said Tuesday. «I was in the past one of the best players in the world, but I think now I'm a better player, more mature. I think I manage the emotions a little bit better… For me, this is a dream come true.»

Few who saw Badosa's rise through the junior ranks would be surprised by her current run in Melbourne. Born in New York but raised in Spain, Badosa won the French Open girls title in 2015, and her talent was on full display from a young age.

After some time primarily on the ITF Tour once she turned professional, Badosa, now 27, made her