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Aryna Sabalenka has sent a sweet message to her close friend Paula Badosa after the Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the 2025 Madrid Open. Badosa was aiming to make a strong comeback at the WTA 1000 event in her homeland after her campaign at the Miami Open was derailed by her back injury resurfacing.
Badosa recently shared an emotional note to announce that she had to pull out of the Madrid Open because of her "complicated" injury struggles. On the other hand, Sabalenka is making a stellar run at the tournament after her runner-up finish at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
The World No. 1, who is aiming to win her third title at the WTA 1000 event, has booked her place in the fourth round after battling back from a set down to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Elise Mertens. Following her triumph, Sabalenka made an appearance on the Madrid Open Twitch channel, where she shared her thoughts on Badosa's withdrawal from the tournament.
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Aryna Sabalenka admitted to being "really sad" that the Spaniard would miss the chance to compete in front of her home fans. Nevertheless, the Belarusian acknowledged that it was the right decision for Paula Badosa to prioritize her health and wished her a quick recovery.
"I’m really sad that she can’t play in front of her people. I wish her a quick recovery. It was better to stop and deal with it, hopefully she’ll be 100% soon," Aryna Sabalenka said.
Although Badosa isn't competing at the tournament herself, she has been visiting the venue to cheer on her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Spaniard recently drew attention with her animated reaction to a funny mistake Tsitsipas made after his victory in the second round.
"The truth is that Paula Badosa doesn’t teach me Spanish" - Aryna Sabalenka jokes about the Spaniard not believing in her skills
Before signing off on the Madrid Open Twitch channel, Aryna Sabalenka showed off her limited Spanish vocabulary. The Belarusian then hilariously placed the blame on Paula Badosa for refusing to teach her the language.
"Gracias, Madrid. Vamos! The truth is that Paula doesn’t teach me Spanish. Badosa doesn’t believe in me," Sabalenka said.
Following her win over Mertens, Sabalenka will square off against Peyton Stearns in the fourth round of the WTA 1000 event. The World No. 1 triumphed in their only previous encounter, claiming a 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-6(6) victory at last year's Indian Wells Open.
Badosa, meanwhile, will hope to have recovered from her back injury in time for the Italian Open, which is scheduled to begin on May 6. Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and the other top WTA stars will join the Spaniard in Rome.
