Aryna Sabalenka Shows Unwavering Love for ‘Fighter’ Paula Badosa in a Heartwarming Display of Friendship at the 2024 US Open

Paula Badosa’s incredible performance in the last few tournaments has turned the heads of the tennis world. Everyone is happy to see the former world number 2 getting back on the track. She has struggled a lot with injuries and lack of form in the past few months, but her incredible run at the North American hard-court swing has drawn the praise even from her ‘soulmate’, Aryna Sabalenka.

In April this year, Badosa reached perhaps the lowest point in her career. She was pushed outside the Top 100 and in May she ranked 139th in the world. Frequent withdrawals and lack of form resulted in such a downfall.

Sabalenka recently shared her thoughts on Paula Badosa’s surge in form during the North American hard-court swing. She said she is “super happy” to see her back. The Belarusian tennis star also described how much her friend had struggled in the last few months to get back where she is today. “I tried to help her like talking talking about stuff. I was just telling her like if you have any questions if whatever you need just ask. I’m here to help you with whatever you need,” said Aryna Sabalenka during her post-match interview at the US Open.

She further said, “Seeing her right now, I’d say she’s back on her top level and that’s really amazing. I’m really happy for her and she deserves it you know. She’s a fighter, she’s hardworking, she’s an amazing person and I mean she deserves it.”

Sabalenka always ensured her ‘soulmate’ didn’t feel any lack of support. Recalling one such instance, Badosa was heard saying, “When I had to retire during our match there, I was crying so much and she (Saba) was saying in my ear, ‘Don’t worry: you’ll be back to the Top 10 very soon.'” Apart from Aryna Sabalenka, even her coach, Pol Toledo Bague played an enormous role in giving her the support and courage to fight this battle.

That time she wondered whether she said that because of their friendship or if  she actually believed in her abilities. Almost 3-4 months have passed now, Paula Badosa has now climbed up to the 29th spot in the women’s singles ranking. Miracle? No, but that’s just a true definition of a “fighter“!

Turning pain into power: Knowing the “Fighter” inside Paula Badosa

It was a rollercoaster ride to regain her fire! Badosa had trouble moving for almost 10 months and at one point in time she thought her career would possibly end due to injuries. Toledo had asked her about her goals for this year. Paula Badosa said, “The goal was for me to be seeded next year at the Australian Open.” She targeted to reach 60th in the singles ranking but eventually ended up being in the Top 30.

Badosa revealed, “He (Pol Toledo) was like, ‘Ok, I wasn’t expecting that! I believed a lot in you, but that’s really, really fast!’ I was like, ‘Well, you challenged me!’ But it’s crazy, right?” Well, that’s what truly defines the fighter inside her. She uses multiple methods to give her motivation and courage to fight all these battles. For example, she now works a lot on the mental aspect of the game. Badosa revealed that nowadays she regularly talks with the psychologist before and after her matches.

When she was in her best form, her strong physicality and mentality were the two key aspects of her game. “I was always fighting no matter the score,” said the Spaniard. However, in Washington this year, she initially had a few questions about how she was going to adjust to the fast playing conditions, but then she decided to just accept whatever came her way. She took the challenge with a pledge of not complaining about a single thing this year.

“Some years ago, I would put myself down and tell myself I wasn’t good in certain conditions. This year I changed completely on that, and I think for the moment, it’s working pretty well,” said Badosa during a previous interview. This is exactly how she molded the “fighter” that was already inside her since her early days. Kudos to those who stood like a pillar beside her in her tough days! As tennis fans, we always want the best players to play their A-game in these tournaments, right?