Australian Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa to put friendship aside in semi-final showdown
Seeing a friendly face should be a good thing.
However, that may only increase the pressure when Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa take the court on Thursday for the Australian Open semifinals.
The two are close friends, with Sabalenka calling Badosa her “soulmate” in Stuttgart last year.
“I love Paula very much,” said the 26-year-old Belarusian.
“She’s an incredible person. It’s so important to have friends on the track, so when you find someone you think is your soul mate, it’s the best thing that can happen to you.”
Their friendship has grown over the past few years, with the pair training together during the 2024 U.S. Open, wearing matching outfits and posting about each other on social media.
“We realized we had very similar personalities and got along really well, and we were both very, very competitive,” Badosa told the outlet. Tennis Channel’s Inside-In Podcast, external March.
“For me, it’s nice to have a friend on tour because it’s hard to find.”
But with a finals spot at stake, that friendship will have to be put on hold in Melbourne.
This isn’t the first time the two have met – they’ve met eight times before, with Sabalenka winning the last six – but it’s certainly the most notable one.
World No. 1 Sabalenka is seeking to win her third consecutive Australian Open title, while this is the first time for 27-year-old Badosa to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.
Spanish Shocked sixth seed Coco Gauff She was coming back from a back injury in the quarterfinals that she feared would force her to retire a year ago.
“It’s difficult to play your best friend,” Sabalenka said after beating Badosa in Stuttgart.
However, as difficult as it may be, all emotions will be pushed aside once they step out of Rod Laver Arena.
“We know how to separate things,” Badosa added.
“We decided a long time ago that off the court we were friends and on the court she really wanted to win and I really wanted to win,” Sabalenka said. defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals.
“So on the pitch we are rivals and there is no room for friendship.”
