Iga Swiatek & Aryna Sabalenka embrace 'besties' tag at WTL, follow heartwarming hug with joint practice session

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka had a joint practice session during the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi. Both players are competing in the tournament, with the Pole being a part of the Eagles while the Belarusian was a part of the Hawks.

Earlier during the tournament, Swiatek and Sabalenka shared a hug after they squared off in a doubles fixture. Several fans reacted to the heartwarming moment between the two, calling them "besties".

The two recently had a practice session in Abu Dhabi and Sabalenka shared a picture of the two on her Instagram stories, with her caption reading:

"Great practice with @iga.swiatek."

Arhna Sabalenka's Instagram story (Image Source: Instagram)

Iga Swiatek's team in the World Tennis League, Eagles, finished in the bottom of the standings with 54 points. The Pole played two singles matches and won both, beating Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina. She also featured in three doubles matches, winning one.

Aryna Sabalenka's team, Hawks, reached the final where they lost to Falcons. The women's World No. 1 won every single match she was a part of, be it in singles or doubles. She played two singles matches, defeating Elena Rybakina and Paula Badosa.

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka locked horns thrice in 2024

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka during the WTA Finals (Image Source: Getty)

Swiatek and Sabalenka locked horns thrice in 2024, with two of their matches coming in finals. They first squared off in the title clash of the Madrid Open, with the Pole edging out the Belarusian 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) in a thrilling encounter. Their meeting in the Italian Open final was considerably one-sided, with Swiatek winning 6-2, 6-3 to win her third title at the WTA 1000 event.

The last clash between the two in 2024 came in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open, with Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 to reach the final of the tournament, which she won after defeating Jessica Pegula.

Swiatek currently leads the head-to-head with the Belarusian at 8-4 but the latter is currently ahead over 1000 points clear of her at the top of the WTA rankings. Both players impressed in 2024, with Sabalenka winning two Grand Slams at the Australian Open and the US Open while Swiatek won her third successive title at the French Open.

The two also impressed in WTA 1000 events, with the Pole triumphing in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid and Rome, while the Belarusian won in Cincinnati and Wuhan.