No More 'Crazy' Rivalries As Best Friends Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa Meet At French Open
NDTV
It will be Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa's seventh meeting but first at a Grand Slam.
The dark "intense, crazy" days when the likes of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova bitterly and publicly aired their grievances are long gone, says Aryna Sabalenka. To illustrate her point, world number two Sabalenka will happily take on best friend Paula Badosa for a place in the last 32 of the French Open on Saturday. It will be the pair's seventh meeting but first at a Grand Slam. "It's always tough to play your best friend on tour," said Australian Open champion Sabalenka.
"But we know how to separate court and life. So it's always a great battle. I always enjoy playing against her."
She added: "I would say that right now the top 10 players are all good with each other, and there are no big fights outside of the court.
"It's not like we are best friends, but it's not something crazy, like intense."
Ten years or so ago, such warmth was rare.
