Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa are close in age—26 and 27, respectively—and they rose up in the ranks at roughly the same time. But while they were becoming rivals, they were also becoming friends. So Sabalenka sounded sincere when she said that she was pleased to see that Badosa, over the past year, had shaken off her injuries and her demons, and reclaimed her place among the women’s tour elite.
“She’s a great player and she’s been through a lot,” Sabalenka said. “Now she’s back on her best game. I’m really happy to see that.
“I’m really excited to face her in the semis.”
Of course, Sabalenka may also be more excited to see Badosa on the other side of the net than the player she beat in the quarterfinals, No. 3 seed Coco Gauff. If her opponent had been Gauff, Sabalenka would have faced someone who beat her just a couple of months ago at the WTA Finals. As it is, she has won her last five matches vs. Badosa, dating back to 2021.
