Article by Andra Mocanu – Published Friday, 06 February 2026, 13:20 / Updated Friday, 06 February 2026 13:40
Tennis players Aryna Sabalenka (27 years old, number 1 WTA) and Paula Badosa (28 years old, number 65 WTA), who described each other as “soul mates”, have confessed on numerous occasions that they are very good friends.
In a recent interview, the athlete from Belarus admitted, however, that the first impression of Paula Badosa was not a positive one at all, and she used an expression … curious, to describe this.
PHOTO. Sabalenka, first negative impression of Badosa
This year's Australian Open finalist, Aryna Sabalenka, recounted her first interaction with Paulo Badosa in an interview with American reporters from TNT Sports.
“The story is really funny. We still send each other memes about how we met, because when we first met, can I say this? We both thought the other was a “bitch” (no. meaning treacherous, cunning). Then we played a demonstration match, we got to talk a little and we thought: «Oh, you're actually funny!». I felt a connection, I felt we were the same,” commented the athlete from Belarus, laughing, according to Marca.
“Since then we have been besties”, she emphasized.
Sabalenka, who knocked out girlfriend Paula Badosa in the semi-finals of the 2024 Miami tournament, said after the match that their friendship was being put on hold on the court. “We're really good friends, but we put our friendship aside when we play. I know she'll hate me for a few hours, but I promise when we go shopping, I'll buy her whatever she wants,” she said.
Badosa's reply was not long in coming: “I'm going to ask him for something very expensive, because he won't have any problems, since he doubled his prize money.”
Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka
Badosa, with Sabalenka in the most difficult moment
Paula Badosa showed her full support for Aryna Sabalenka after the suicide in 2024 of ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, the ex-boyfriend of the Belarusian tennis player.
“I don't want to talk about it. But of course… like I said before, she's one of my best friends. I talked to her a lot yesterday. Same thing this morning. So I know what she's going through. I know the whole situation… For me it's also a shock, because after all, she's my best friend and I don't want her to suffer. It's a very difficult situation,” the Spanish player admitted at the time.
