Aryna Sabalenka promised to take her close friend Paula Badosa shopping and said she would buy the Spaniard ‘whatever she wanted’ on Thursday night.
It came after the Belarusian star secured a straight-sets victory over the Spaniard, to book her place in the finals of the women’s singles at the Australian Open.
The pair have previously called each other ‘soulmates’ and tonight had to put their friendship aside to do battle on the court.
Ultimately, it was the two-time Australian Open champion who came through as the victor, and while admitting it was emotionally ‘tough’ to do battle against her friend, Sabalenka opened up on how the pair had approached the match.
‘I think after a couple of battles against each other, we spoke and we decided to put it aside,’ Sabalenka said.
‘We both wanted it badly. It’s our dream. But here we’re just opponents. No matter what happens on the court, we’re going to be friends after our matches.
Aryna Sabalenka promised Paula Badosa that she would take her shopping after beating her good friend in the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Thursday
Sabalenka smashed her way to a two-set victory over her good friend but revealed that she would attempt to win Badosa back by taking her out shopping
While Badosa had cut a deflated figure after the match, Sabalenka arrived back stage and the pair were seen laughing and sharing a smile
‘It is tough to do but we agree well, I don’t know.
‘I hope she’s still my friend…’ She said as the crowd laughed.
‘I’m sure she’ll hate me for the next hour or day. I can handle that, but then after that, we’re back to being friends. And we can go out together, shopping…’
Badosa had gone 2-0 up in the first set, coming out of the blocks firing against the world No 1. But Sabalenka twisted the set on its head, firing some powerful groundstrokes and perfectly weighted drop shots over the net to hit back with a double break.
She’d take the first set 6-4 before putting her foot on the gas pedal to seal the second set 6-2.
But in a bid to win back her bestie, Sabalenka delivered a hilarious promise to Badosa.
‘I promise Paula, we’re gonna go shopping and I will pay for whatever s*** you want,’ Sabalenka joked, before hilariously backtracking on the expletive.
‘Whatever you want, just without the previous word I said.’
Badosa has fought back from a horror back injury over the past two years to reach her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final
And she joked that she would make Sabalenka buy her something ‘really expensive’
While the interview was going on Badosa cut a dejected figure in the player’s gym after being knocked out by Sabalenka.
But the Belarusian would head down the tunnel to see her friend where they shared a laugh and a hug.
And when asked what Sabalenka had said to her, Badosa said: ‘That it was really unfair for me that she played this level today (smiling). I was expecting, of course, a good level, but maybe not that much.
‘But no, she came, like, to say that she played three semifinals before she won a title. She was very proud of my improvement lately, especially with all I’ve been through.
‘So, yeah, we were just joking around. I’m really happy that, look, if I have to lose against somebody, of course, I want to lose against world No. 1 and against Aryna, and I wish her the best.’
Hilariously, Badosa then went on to reveal what she thinks Sabalenka should buy her to make up for the defeat.
‘Something really expensive,’ the world No 12 said.
‘It’s going to be something really expensive because now I think she doubled the prize money. So I think she won’t have a problem with that. I will think about it (smiling).’
Badosa admitted her pride at how far she has come in the last few years, adding that she was happy to lose against someone like Sabalenka
Sabalenka now has the chance to win her third-consecutive Australian Open title
She comes up against Madison Keys in the showpiece event, who defeated Iga Swiatek tonight
Earlier in the week, Badosa revealed she had doubted whether she would ever come back from the back injury that has plagued her over the past two years.
She stated that she had even come close to hanging up her racket last April, having had cortisone injections in a bid to continue playing.
But reflecting on her epic achievements this week, reaching her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final, Badosa said she was ‘proud’ of her journey.
‘It’s really, really positive. I mean, I wasn’t expecting maybe improving or going so fast,’ she said.
‘I didn’t check, but seeing the results of everyone, now I know I’m top 10, but I think the last months maybe it’s top 5 of the players that have win most matches.
‘For me that’s insane, and it’s an insane improvement, an insane improvement mentally, of believing, of coming back from that.
I mean, I was once top 10, but doing it two times I think not a lot of people are capable of that. I’m really proud of myself because it’s not easy when you’re 100 in the world and you have to face these kind of players but in the first round.
Coming back from that, I’m really, really proud of the journey.’
