Former World No. 2 Paula Badosa shared a charming message for Aryna Sabalenka on her 26th birthday. Both Badosa and Sabalenka were last seen competing at the 2024 Madrid Open this month. While Badosa was eliminated in the first round, Sabalenka finished as the runner-up at the event.
On her birthday, Sabalenka received a funny and heartfelt message from her best friend on the WTA tour, Paula Badosa. The Spanish player took to her Instagram account to wish Sabalenka a happy birthday by uploading some candid pictures of them together over the years.
Badosa and Sabalenka share a close bond with each other. They are often spotted discussing their various endeavors on and off the court and indulging in pre-tournament celebrations together. During a recent press conference at the Stuttgart Open, Sabalenka spoke about her relationship with Badosa and how important it is to have close friends on tour.
The pair have faced each other a couple of times on the main tour this year, with Sabalenka coming out on top both times. Badosa nearly pulled off a win in their second meeting in Stuttgart but had to retire mid-match due to a recurring back injury. Sabalenka wished the Spaniard a quick recovery and hoped that she could find her best form again on the main tour.
Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa have teamed up for a doubles event in the past. They competed together at the 2023 World Tennis League as a part of Team Kites, alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov, and Lloyd Harris. They began their campaign with a win against Mirra Andreeva and Sofia Kenin which helped Team Kites secure a 27-22 victory in the group stage over Team Eagles, led by Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev. Sabalenka and Badosa have also participated in three other women’s doubles events on the main tour: the 2022 Miami Open, Stuttgart Open, and the WTA 1000 Madrid Open. They have yet to win a title together in women’s doubles.
