"That hug was from all of us" ; "A pleasure to observe" - Fans delighted by Aryna Sabalenka-Paula Badosa hug after Miami Open 2R clash

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa shared a warm embrace after their second-round clash at the Miami Open.

Sabalenka, whose ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov died recently, had already qualified for the second round by virtue of being one of the seeded players. Badosa, on the other hand, defeated Simona Halep in the Romanian's first match since the 2022 US Open.

Aryna Sabalenka put on a fine performance to beat Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-3 and book her place in the third round of the Miami Open. After the match, the two, who are very close friends, had a warm hug at the net.

Several fans were delighted with the post-match exchange between Sabalenka and Badosa, with one fan saying that the hug was from everyone to the Belarusian, given her recent tragedy.

"That hug was from all of us too Aryna," the fan wrote.

One fan said that the friendship between Sabalenka and Badosa was "a pleasure to observe".

"Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa's friendship is so sweet, and such a pleasure to observe. So happy for Aryna's win today, and her focus and mental fortitude to come out on court to play in Miami and win," the fan's comment read.

Another fan raved about the special friendship between Sabalenka and Badosa.

"I love them so much, such an amazing thing to see a genuine friendship in the tour, glad they have each other," the fan's comment read.

Here are some more fan reactions to Sabalenka and Badosa's hug:

Aryna Sabalenka will take on Anhelina Kalinina in Miami Open 3R

Sabalenka in action at the BNP Paribas Open

After defeating Paula Badosa, Aryna Sabalenka will next take on 32nd seed Anhelina Kalinina in the third round of the Miami Open. Kalinina booked her place in the Round of 32 of the WTA 1000 event by defeating former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.

Sabalenka and Kalinina will lock horns for the very first time when they meet in Miami, with the winner of the match taking on either Yulia Putintseva or Greet Minnen in the fourth round.

Sabalenka has won 13 out of 16 matches so far this season, successfully defending her title at the Australian Open without dropping a single set. The 25-year-old beat Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the final. However, her performances suffered a minor dip since her triumph in Melbourne as she lost in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships and the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.