“Love story” - Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa continue to show their close bond at WTL

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa have seemingly strengthened their bond while spending time together in Abu Dhabi for the World Tennis League (WTL).

Team Kites, represented by Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Grigor Dimitrov, will take on Team Eagles in the all-important final on Sunday, December 24. Sofia Kenin, Mirra Andreeva, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev will spearhead the challenge from Team Eagles.

The two teams finished in the top two spots following the round-robin stages. Team Kties collected a total of 79 points with a win percentage of 51.7 whereas Team Eagles raked in 75 points at an average of 50 percent.

Team Kites played against Team Hawks on Saturday, December 23. During the men's singles tie between Grigor Dimitrov and Team Hawks' Casper Ruud, Badosa was seen teasing Sabalenka as they both watched the tie from the player's bench. The incident was recorded on video and has since been doing the rounds on X (formerly Twitter).

Aryna Sabalenka stumbled upon the video and shared it on her official X handle.

"Love story," she captioned her tweet addressed to Paula Badosa.

The duo is scheduled to take on the pair of Sofia Kenin and Mirra Andreeva for a doubles tie in Sunday's summit clash. In the mixed doubles tie, Badosa will team up with her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas against Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev.

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Paula Badosa: "I learn a lot from Aryna Sabalenka, she inspires me and I can get to say she’s my closest friend"

BNP Paribas Open - Day 2

Paula Badosa recently said that sharing the court with Aryna Sabalenka on her side was a delightful experience.

"I think doubles is all about connection and with Aryna you can see we have it. And also being by her side I always say I learn a lot from her, she inspires me. And I can get to say she’s my closest friend so it’s very nice to share the court with her," Badosa said in an on-court interview.

Badosa's comments came after she and the Belarusian defeated the pair of Sofia Kenin and Mirra Andreeva in a doubles encounter at the World Tennis League on Thursday, December 21.

Notably, the two WTA stars have faced each other four times on tour and have collected two victories each. They first played against each other at the Cincinnati Masters in 2021, when the Spaniard downed Aryna Sabalenka in a Round of 32 clash. Their second meeting, at the WTA finals later the same year, also went in Badosa's favor.

Sabalenka has, however, caught up with her best friend by clinching victory in their third and fourth meetings, at the Stuttgart Open in 2022 and 2023.