Friendship Anxiety can be troubling, even for world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She defeated her close friend Paula Badosa 6-4,6-4 in the Australian Open semi-final. Despite falling behind an early break, Sabalenka played with her trademark intensity to secure the spot in the final. This win keeps her on track to complete a rare three-peat at the season’s first Grand Slam. She now has a big task at hand though, and I am not talking about the finals. It’s about rekindling the friendship after a great battle.

Having Triumphed in Melbourne and New York in 2024, Sabalenka has now reached five consecutive major hard-court finals. facing a close friend like Badosa in a high-stakes match was not an easy task. Sabalenka’s consistency and power were on full display as she struck 32 winners compared to 21 unforced errors, extending her unbeaten streak to 20 matches.

Badosa was equally matching Sabalenka’s power early on, saving a break point with a sublime serve and leading 40-0 in her second service game. However, she missed the opportunities to consolidate the lead, which cost her the set. After the match, Sabalenka opened up about the emotional challenges of competing against her close friend. “We both wanted it badly. It’s our dream. Here, we’re just opponents. No matter what happens on the court, we’re going to be friends after our matches. It’s tough to do, but we agreed on that,” Sabalenka shared in a post-match interview with Jelena Dokic.

To lighten the mood and repair the tension caused by their on-court battle, Aryna Sabalenka revealed her plans to treat Badosa during her free day before the final.  “Shopping with Paula? Maybe! I hope she’s gonna be here, and we can go shop. I’m gonna put a limit for her because she can go crazy,” she joked, highlighting their strong off-court bond.

Sabalenka’s candid confession about her friendship shows how fierce rivalries coexist with deep personal connections. While Sabalenka is still to win the final of the Australian Open, there are some milestones that she has already crossed.

Milestones Achieved by Aryna Sabalenka After Reaching AO 2025 Finals

The semifinal win of Sabalenka marked her 11th consecutive win this season, after her title run in Brisbane. Her dominance on the court has also placed her in the elite company of other athletes. With this victory, Sabalenka has become the third player in the last decade to have 20 straight wins at a single Major. Serena Williams achieved this feat at the US Open between 2012 and 2014. Iga Swiatek recorded a similar streak at the French Open.

Sabalenka has further increased her reputation as a hard court specialist. Following her maiden Major title at the Australian Open 2023 and finishing runner-up at the US Open, she swept both hard court majors in 2024. Having reached her fifth consecutive hard-court final, she has joined the ranks of Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, and Martina Hingis.

Sabalenka is also the eighth woman in the Open Era to reach three consecutive Australian Open Finals, joining the likes of Margaret Court, Steffi Graf, and Serena Williams.

As she prepares for the final and chases the three-peat, Sabalenka continues to etch her name in the history books. Do you think she will pull off a historic title win on Saturday? Share your thoughts in the comments below.