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Aryna Sabalenka jokes she and Paula Badosa have "a love story" going on after a video showed the Spaniard playfully touching the Belarusian's leg. This past week, Sabalenka and Badosa represented Team Kites at the World Tennis League in Dubai. Sabalenka and Badosa, who have been great friends for quite some time, played in three doubles matches together in Abu Dhabi. During Saturday's action and a match between Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov, Sabalenka and Badosa sat together on the bench and the cameras caught one funny moment between the two.
Reacting to the video, Sabalenka wrote on X: "Love story @paulabadosa (laughing and heart emojis)." Responding to Sabalenka, Badosa wrote: "Hahahahahahhahahaha this is too good (laughing and heart emojis)."
Hahahahahahhahahaha this is too good😂😂❤️❤️
— Paula Badosa (@paulabadosa) December 24, 2023
Sabalenka and Badosa went 1-2 in their three doubles match at the WTL
As a pair, Sabalenka and Badosa defeated Mirra Andreeva and Sofia Kenin before losing in their next two matches against Elena Rybakina*Sorana Cirstea and Iga Swiatek/Caroline Garcia. After their opening win at the tournament, Badosa named Sabalenka as her "closest friend."
"I think doubles is all about connection and with Aryna you can see we have it. And also being by her side I always say I learn a lot from her, she inspires me. And I can get to say she’s my closest friend so it’s very nice to share the court with her," Badosa said after their first doubles match at the World Tennis League.
Before teaming up with Sabalenka in Abu Dhabi, Badosa explained how they keep a strong friendship despite being rivals on the Tour.
"It is very difficult. It doesn't happen very often that you can find your soulmate on the circuit because we compete against each other. But we had this deal: on the court we are opponents, we can shout whatever we want, but off the court we are friends again. We can take a day, depending on who wins, to accept the fact that one of us lost, but then we become friends again. It's hard, and I'm super happy to have her. She is a very nice girl and having her by my side is very important to me," Sabalenka said of her friendship with Badosa in October.