Aryna Sabalenka continued her determined quest for a first French Open title, overcoming her best friend Paula Badosa to secure a spot in the fourth round. The Belarusian star, who reached the semi-finals last year, displayed her resilience and power to triumph 7-5, 6-1 over the Spanish former world number two.
In a competitive and entertaining first set, both players showcased their baseline strength, resulting in seven breaks of serve. Despite the tight contest, second seed Sabalenka managed to close out the set. The second set, however, saw a significant drop in performance from the 139th-ranked Badosa, allowing Sabalenka to dominate.
Badosa, who has recently dropped in the rankings due to a stress fracture in her back, valiantly saved three match points before ultimately sending a backhand long on the fourth. “I just tried to play my best and fight for every point. I know the conditions were tough and the serve wasn’t an advantage,” said the 26-year-old Sabalenka, who impressively won 10 of the final 11 games.
Next, Sabalenka will face either American 14th seed Madison Keys or her compatriot Emma Navarro, seeded 22nd. Despite rain delays affecting the outside courts in Paris on Saturday, Sabalenka and fourth seed Elena Rybakina advanced smoothly under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Badosa, who had previously beaten British number one Katie Boulter in the first round, aimed for a better outcome against Sabalenka after her losses in Miami and Stuttgart. The 26-year-old Spaniard initially managed to counter Sabalenka’s power, using her opponent’s pace to deliver sharp winners in the opening set. However, her strategy began to falter as errors crept in, shifting momentum to Sabalenka.
A crucial moment came when Badosa, leading 5-5, put a drive volley into the net, allowing Sabalenka to break serve for the fourth time. A subsequent hold to love secured the first set for Sabalenka. Her performance only improved in the second set, where she struck with precision and power, leaving Badosa struggling to keep up.
Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka expressed her admiration for Badosa, stating, “It’s tough to play your best friend, but we know how to separate things. She’s an incredible player coming back after injury. She’ll be back at the top very soon.” The warm hug they shared at the net underscored the respect and friendship between the two athletes.
As Sabalenka moves forward in the tournament, she remains focused on her ultimate goal of capturing the French Open title, demonstrating both her physical prowess and mental fortitude on the court.
