Aryna Sabalenka surged past her best friend, Paula Badosa in a 7-5, 6-1 win for the Belarusian to reach the fourth round of the 2024 French Open. At times she was troubled by the Spaniard who has shown as of late that she certainly does have the form to return to her best.
After her win, Aryna Sabalenka acknowledged that Paula Badosa will be back to her best form. Sabalenka also spoke about the difficulty of playing against a close friend and how they manage to separate their friendship from competition. She mentioned that in such situations, she just has to focus on herself.
“It’s tough to play your best friend. She’s an incredible player coming back after injury. She’s gonna be back at the top very soon. It’s very tough,” said Sabalenka.
“But we know how to separate things. On court, we’re opponents. I’m trying not to watch the other side. I’m just trying to focus on myself and bring my best game. It’s tough matches against her,” Sabalenka explained. “Today was a day when I wasn’t thinking that much. I was just feeling the game, trusting myself, and going for all those shots.”
Next up for Sabalenka will be another tough examination as the World Number Two looks to reach the latter stages of the French Open. She will face either Madison Keys, who has been fantastic recently, or Emma Navarro. This match carries significant implications, especially for Navarro, who risks losing her spot for the Olympic Games if she loses. She has held an Olympic qualification spot for a long time, but Danielle Collins’ recent emergence has ousted her, and a loss for Keys could help Navarro regain her spot. However, given Keys’ recent form, she will be the favorite and could provide a real test for Sabalenka.