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Fans were abuzz after witnessing a rare joint practice session between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka during the World Tennis League exhibition in Abu Dhabi. It also sparked discussions about Swiatek's recent struggles and how they may have fostered a deeper connection with her peers.
Sabalenka posted an image of herself with Swiatek with the pair smiling and posing for the camera on her Instagram Story. According to her caption, the image was from post-training.
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The Instagram post made its way to Reddit where fans noted a shift in Swiatek’s demeanor, perceiving her as more open and engaged beyond her usual circle of friends.
"I feel like Iga is coming out of her shell slightly (outside her usual group of friends) as this is their 2nd time practicing together I can remember (can’t remember exactly when the first time was finals or USO or masters), plus the moments with Paula during the WTL exhibition seemed cute as well (I know they used to be friends before Paula got close with with Aryna)," one fan wrote.
Swiatek’s journey over the past few months has been tumultuous. Following a one-month suspension due to a doping violation, the Polish star admitted that she conversed with fellow players about the challenges she faced.
Fans speculated that she reached out to Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka, players who appear to have grown closer to Swiatek during this period.
"I feel that iga's struggle recently tugged heartstrings on badosa and aryna. i guess iga reached out to badosa about it (she said that she consulted some players about what happened to her)," another fan wrote.
"Either Iga is mellowing out or the doping ban was an existential reckoning," a third fan speculated.
In the past few months, the Pole has also undergone changes in her team. She split with Tomasz Wiktorowski, her former coach, and hired Wim Fisette. One fan attributed the apparent change in her demeanor to her coaching shift. They wrote:
"I really think new more open Iga is a result of her coaching change. This is really good for the game."
Some fans were happy to see the top two WTA players gelling.
"Sabatek is finally real everyone and no more a mere delusion from the fanbase ❤️🔥" one fan wrote.
"The Cold War is thawing," another fan wrote.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka impressed at the World Tennis League exhibition event
Team Falcons comprising Elena Rybakina, Caroline Garcia, Denis Shapovalov, and Andrey Rublev won the World Tennis League exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. Falcons defeated the Hawks in the final which featured Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Sumit Nagal, and Jordan Thompson.
Sabalenka, however, boasted a 100% record at the event. She won all the sets she featured in, be it singles or doubles. In singles, she defeated Rybakina and Paula Badosa. In doubles, she paired with Andreeva to defeat all the women's doubles pairs of the rest of the three teams.
Iga Swiatek, representing the Eagles, defeated Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini in singles. In doubles, the Pole partnered with Badosa to win one doubles battle and lose two.
In the coming days, Swiatek will begin her 2025 season by representing Poland at the United Cup. Meanwhile, Sabalenka will play at the Brisbane International scheduled to begin on December 29.
