Paula Badosa is back in the spotlight after a challenging 2023 season marred by a lower back injury. Although her 2024 campaign was less than stellar, she secured a victory at the Washington DC Open, her only win before concluding the season at the Ningbo Open. Entering 2025, Badosa appears rejuvenated, showcasing her skills at the Australian Open where she reached the semifinals, ultimately facing her close friend Aryna Sabalenka. Despite the tough loss, their friendship remains intact, especially after Badosa received a beautiful bracelet from Sabalenka as a truce. But seems like the Spaniard is making moves that don’t include her bestie this time around. Betrayal? Nope, just a player being a professional when it comes to the sport!

Badosa’s journey through the Middle East swing has been challenging, but she’s making strides. After a first-round exit in Abu Dhabi, she reached the Qatar Open’s second round, only to lose to No. 18 Amanda Anisimova. At the Dubai Duty Free Championship, she defeated Lulu Sun and Elise Mertens to reach the round of 16. Unfortunately, she faced a tough loss against No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina, who saved six match points to win 4-6, 7-6(8), 7-6(2). While Badosa is showcasing her skills, she still needs to regain her semifinal form from the Australian Open.

Following her match, WTA players were asked by Arab News which rival they would choose as a coach. Badosa had a thoughtful answer: “By far I would pick Ons Jabeur. I think we would connect very well. She knows very good about tennis, but especially emotionally.” Her choice of Jabeur surprised some, considering her close friendship with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, known for being a tough opponent. But Badosa has her reasons.

“I say that because also we played doubles. And sometimes when you’re playing doubles you have to coach each other,” she explained. Badosa and Ons Jabeur teamed up for doubles at the 2025 Brisbane International on January 5. They won their opening match against Alexandra Panova and Guo Hanyu but were eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider. “There are some moments that one is playing better than the other, so we do it already, and we feel very comfortable both of us, so I would pick her by far,” she added.

The trio of Badosa, Jabeur, and Sabalenka are among the closest friends on the WTA Tour, often entertaining fans with their antics on and off the court. During that time, Badosa emphasized why she picked Jabeur: “Well, we just played doubles, decided to play doubles sometimes when we need some matches. I think it helps each other.” She noted her “great relationship” with the Tunisian but didn’t discredit Sabalenka’s No. 1 status: “with Aryna if it happens also, but I think she doesn’t need a lot of matches right now. She’s good with that.”

The ongoing tug-of-war among players choosing their best friends as partners will likely continue. After all, it’s not the first time Paula has found herself caught between picking her friends!

Paula claims that she loves both Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur equally

Back in April 2024, during an interview at the Stuttgart Open, Paula Badosa referred to Ons Jabeur as her best friend. Jabeur shared the clip on her Instagram story, tagging Aryna Sabalenka with a cheeky “Sorry” message. When Sabalenka caught wind of it, she reshared the clip with a playful jab: “Ok bye @pulabadosa You lost me now!!!!” Seemingly ending their friendship that began in 2021 after facing each other in Cincinnati, they’ve faced each other eight times since then!

Badosa responded to Sabalenka’s humorous banter with a light-hearted touch, saying, “Hahahahaha nooooooo! But.. Where were you after my match? @sabalenka_aryna I love you both ok? @onsjabeur.” This exchange highlighted the adorable rivalry between the two stars as they vied for Badosa’s affection and showcased the strong doubles partnership she shares with both players.

Fans have since spotted this brilliant trio on Badosa’s Instagram story, where she captioned a fun image of them as “Friendship,” complete with laughing emojis. While Badosa and Sabalenka have been making waves on social media with their “Sabadosa” partnership, Jabeur has seamlessly joined their group, even noting that she’s close friends who she can laugh and gossip with from time to time. Their camaraderie reflects how tennis unites individuals from diverse backgrounds, proving that friendships can thrive even amidst competition.