Paula Badosa advances safely past Suzan Lamens into the second round of the WTA tournament in Berlin
Paula Badosa advanced to the second round of the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Berlin Tennis Open after a convincing victory against Suzan Lamens in the first round of the main draw. The Spanish tennis player won on June 16, 2026, by a score of 6-3, 6-2, thereby opening her campaign on the grass courts in Berlin without dropping a set. According to the official WTA schedule and draw, this was a first-round match, that is, the round of 32 players, at a WTA 500 category tournament. From the start, Badosa imposed her rhythm from the baseline, more often took the initiative in the rallies and kept the match under control throughout both sets. Lamens had moments in which she managed to slow the game down and extend the points, but she did not find enough stability to seriously threaten her opponent.
The 6-3, 6-2 scoreline shows that Badosa, already in her first appearance in Berlin, managed to avoid the uncertainty that often accompanies the early stages of grass-court tournaments. On this surface, serves, the first shot after the serve and low balls often quickly change the course of games, but against Lamens, Badosa looked more prepared for that kind of rhythm. In the first set, she managed to build an advantage and keep it without major fluctuations, while in the second she further accelerated her path to victory. According to reports on the result, the match was completed in two sets and there was no need for a deciding section, which is especially important in a week in which the schedule is dense and in which much tougher opposing challenges are expected already from the second round. For Badosa, it was also an important result because the official WTA website marked her victory in Berlin as her first win on grass in the 2026 season.
Control from the baseline decided the match
The key to the victory was that Badosa more often managed to turn neutral exchanges into attacking situations. Although detailed official statistics across all categories were not available in the data published after the match, the course of the score itself points to a stable performance by a player who knew when to accelerate and when to play patiently. Her baseline game was solid enough to prevent Lamens from gaining continuity in the rallies, and aggressive enough that the Dutchwoman often had to defend from uncomfortable positions. On grass, that balance of power is particularly important because an error in a few points can quickly turn into a lost game, and then into a lost set. It was precisely in those shorter periods of pressure that Badosa looked more decisive, and that is why the victory was relatively convincing.
Lamens entered the match as a player who had already felt the Berlin grass through qualifying, which is generally an advantage in the first rounds of the main draw. According to the available tournament results, before entering the main draw she defeated Dalma Galfi and Tessa Johanna Brockmann, thereby earning a match with Badosa. Such a path often brings more competitive rhythm, but also additional expenditure, especially at tournaments where the qualifying and main sections are played within a short period. Against Badosa, that rhythm was not enough for a comeback because the Spaniard opened points more precisely and made better use of the moments when she could take over the middle of the court. Lamens was left without a place in the second round, but her qualifying performance confirms that in Berlin she had enough form to enter the main tournament framework.
For Badosa, it is especially important that she achieved the victory without visibly extending the match. In the grass-court part of the season, players have little time to adapt after moving from clay courts, and every match without excessive physical expenditure can have value later in the week. Berlin is one of the tournaments at which form for Wimbledon is tested directly, so early results are also viewed through the broader context of preparation for the most important grass-court Grand Slam. Against Lamens, Badosa got exactly what she was looking for: a victory, rhythm and the opportunity to test her level of play in the second round against one of the strongest players in the draw. Although one match cannot by itself change an entire season, this kind of start gives her a concrete results-based foundation for the continuation of the tournament.
An important victory after a period of weaker results
Badosa did not arrive in Berlin only as a former world No. 2, but also as a tennis player who in 2026 is trying to regain stability on the WTA Tour. The official WTA profile before the Berlin appearance listed her singles ranking at No. 142, along with the information that in her career she had reached second place in the world rankings. Such information explains why her performances still attract great attention: she is a player with proven quality at the highest level, but also a tennis player who in recent seasons has been trying to combine continuity of appearances, health and results. According to the Spanish daily AS, the victory over Lamens ended a negative streak and brought her first win since April 1, when she defeated Maria Sakkari in Charleston. In that context, the Berlin result is not only passage into the second round, but also a psychologically important sign that her game can stabilize on a demanding surface.
Such a return to winning is often more important than the number of ranking points won itself, especially for players who were previously near the top of the standings. Throughout her career, Badosa has shown that she can play aggressively, physically powerfully and tactically disciplined, but to return toward higher levels she needs a run of matches in which she will receive confirmation on the court. In Berlin, the first such confirmation came against an opponent who entered from qualifying and already had competitive rhythm. The victory in two sets is therefore useful both as a result and as an indication that Badosa can maintain concentration from the beginning to the end of a match. In professional tennis, especially after a period of weaker results, precisely such matches often serve as the basis for a gradual return of self-confidence.
However, the context of her season requires caution in assessments. One convincing victory does not mean that all problems have been solved, nor that Badosa is automatically back at the level from the best periods of her career. It does, however, show that in Berlin she has enough quality for a competitive performance, especially if she manages to maintain the depth of her shots and reduce the number of periods in which she hands the initiative to her opponent. Grass rewards decisiveness but punishes insecurity, so every next round will bring a stricter test. For that reason, the victory against Lamens is first and foremost an important opening step, and only the continuation of the tournament will show how far Badosa can go at this moment.
Lamens left without an answer after successful qualifying
Suzan Lamens appeared in Berlin as a Dutch tennis player who in recent seasons has gradually established herself within the wider competition of the WTA Tour. According to the official WTA profile, before the tournament Lamens was the world No. 134, and she achieved her career-best ranking by entering 57th place. The WTA also states that in 2024 she won the title in Osaka, which is an important detail in describing her professional path and confirmation that she has experience winning a tournament at the highest level. In Berlin, however, she encountered an opponent who did not allow her to impose herself in the exchanges and who played most of the key moments more directly. For Lamens, the first-round defeat in the main draw is the end of the tournament, but not a performance without value, because getting through qualifying still brought a competitive effect at a high-category tournament.
Against Badosa, the Dutchwoman faced a problem that is common on grass: when the opponent takes control early with the baseline, it is difficult to find enough time to change the rhythm. Lamens tried to stay in the points and wait for opportunities, but Badosa was more often the one who first gained open court. On slower surfaces, a player can sometimes come back through longer exchanges, but on grass the ball stays lower and passes through the court faster, shortening reaction time. That is why every lost service game carried greater weight, and a deficit was harder to make up. In such circumstances, Lamens was left without a clear plan for a comeback, especially after Badosa further consolidated her advantage in the second set.
Despite the defeat, Lamens will be able to take several useful elements from Berlin. She managed to get through the qualifying section and play matches on grass ahead of the continuation of the short grass-court season, which is important for players looking for rhythm before Wimbledon. According to ITF data, Lamens is a right-handed player whose favorite surface is hard court, so adapting to grass is not necessarily the most natural part of the season for her. Berlin nevertheless gave her competitive minutes against a quality opponent and additional information about the segments of her game that she must improve when the rhythm of points speeds up. In the professional calendar, such defeats can have value if they are used as preparation for the next tournaments.
Berlin as an important stop of the grass-court season
The Vanda Pharmaceuticals Berlin Tennis Open is one of the key WTA 500 tournaments ahead of Wimbledon. According to official WTA data, the tournament’s main draw is played from June 15 to 21, 2026, on grass in Berlin, with a singles draw of 28 players and a doubles competition of 16 teams. The WTA also lists the tournament’s total financial amount at 1,206,446 US dollars, which further confirms its status in the calendar. The official tournament website emphasizes that the event is held from June 13 to 21, including qualifying and accompanying program days, on the grass courts of the Steffi-Graf-Stadion. Such a position in the calendar makes Berlin one of the most important tests for players who want to check their game on grass before going to London.
In its description of the tournament, the WTA states that the Steffi-Graf-Stadion is the central venue of the competition and that the tournament is part of the grass-court section of the season. Such tournaments have special value because after Roland-Garros, players must very quickly change their habits in movement, shot selection and tactical solutions. On grass, shorter swings, a better reaction to low bounces and readiness to play toward the net are often just as important as shot power. That is why victories in Berlin are not viewed only through passage into the next round, but also as an indicator of readiness for Wimbledon. Against Lamens, Badosa made the first positive step precisely in that segment because she managed to control the points without unnecessarily entering an uncertain finish.
According to information from the city of Berlin and the organizers, the tournament is played on the grounds of LTTC Rot-Weiß Berlin, a traditional tennis location connected with major tournaments in the German capital. Such an environment gives the tournament additional weight because it is a competition that combines the tradition of the German Open and the modern WTA 500 format. Since 2021, the Berlin grass-court tournament has occupied a place in the schedule that is extremely important for players who want to make the best possible use of the short grass-court season. For the audience and organizers, that means a concentration of strong names in a week played immediately before the final preparations for Wimbledon. For players such as Badosa, it is an opportunity to return to competitive rhythm through strong matches.
Next challenge: Coco Gauff in the second round
After the victory over Lamens, Badosa faces a significantly more demanding test. According to the official WTA draw and post-match reports, her next opponent is Coco Gauff, the fifth seed in Berlin. Such a meeting already in the second round will be a completely different challenge from the opening appearance because Gauff brings speed, defense, a powerful first strike and the ability to move quickly from defense into attack. For Badosa, it will be crucial to maintain the same approach with which she broke Lamens: deep shots, control of the middle of the court and avoidance of longer periods of passive play. If she succeeds, the match with Gauff could be a true measure of her current return to form.
The meeting with one of the seeds will also show how much the first-round victory was the result of stable progress and how much it was a consequence of a favorable tactical balance in the match with Lamens. Against Gauff, Badosa will have to make better use of every service game because the American regularly punishes shorter balls and weaker second serves. On grass, such situations happen even faster, so the pressure on the opening shot and the first attack after the serve will be great. At the same time, Badosa has enough experience and quality not to be merely a passive opponent in such a match. Berlin gives her the opportunity to test, against one of the best-known players in the tournament, whether she can turn the result against Lamens into a broader tournament story.
For now, the most important fact is that the job in the first round was completed safely and without drama. Against Lamens, Badosa achieved a victory that brings her peace in the results, entry into the second round and a new big match on grass. Lamens leaves the singles part of the competition after a qualifying breakthrough and a defeat by a higher-quality opponent in the main draw. The Berlin tournament continues through the central part of the week, and Badosa’s appearance against Gauff will be one of the matches that will further show how ready the Spanish tennis player is to make use of her return to winning rhythm.
Sources:
- WTA - official overview of the 2026 Vanda Pharmaceuticals Berlin Tennis Open tournament, category, surface, dates, draw and financial data (link)
- WTA - official draw of the 2026 Berlin tournament and information about the next round (link)
- WTA - profile and statistical data of Paula Badosa, including ranking and career high (link)
- WTA - profile of Suzan Lamens, ranking, career data and post about Badosa’s victory in Berlin (link)
- Vanda Pharmaceuticals Berlin Tennis Open - official tournament website, schedule and information about the event at the Steffi-Graf-Stadion (link)
- ESPN - results of the 2026 Berlin tournament and Suzan Lamens’ qualifying path (link)
- AS - report on Badosa’s victory over Lamens and the context of ending a negative streak (link)
- Berlin.de - information about the Berlin Tennis Open being held on the grounds of LTTC Rot-Weiß Berlin (link)