Tennis-Sabalenka won't let Badosa friendship dent 'three-peat' dream


  • Tennis
  • Tuesday, 21 Jan 2025

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her quarter final match against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka will not let her friendship with Paula Badosa affect her quest to win a third successive Australian Open title when the best friends clash in the semi-finals, the defending champion said on Tuesday.

Badosa upset American third seed Coco Gauff to make her first Grand Slam semi-final, while Sabalenka downed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to stay on course to be the first woman to complete a "three-peat" since Martina Hingis from 1997-99.

Sabalenka, who has a 5-2 record against Badosa, was pleased with her friend's progress in the tournament but said the Spaniard should not expect any easy treatment when they meet at Melbourne Park.

"We decided a long time ago that off the court we are friends, while on the court she really wants to win, I really want to win," Sabalenka told Reuters after her 6-2 2-6 6-3 win over Russian 27th seed Pavlyuchenkova.

"So on the court we are competitors and there is no place for friendship."

While she would not speculate on her chances of joining an elite group of players who have won three Australian Open titles in a row, including Margaret Court (1969-71), Evonne Goolagong (1974–76), Steffi Graf (1988–90), Monica Seles (1991–93) and Hingis, the Belarusian said it was not beyond her reach.

"I'm really happy that I put myself in this situation where I have the opportunity to become one of them," she told reporters.

"To be next to those names, wow, that's just a dream. Of course, it has always been in the back of my mind that I can do that. But you know, my main focus is ... step by step.

"I know that if I will be able to bring my best tennis on each game, if not the best tennis, then the best fighting spirit, I know that I'm capable of doing that."

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; writing by Amlan Chakraborty; editing by Christian Radnedge)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tennis

Tennis-Opelka takes aim at umpire after point penalty for confronting heckler
Tennis-Andreescu delays comeback after appendectomy
WTA roundup: Elena Rybakina overcomes Ons Jabeur in Abu Dhabi
WTA roundup: Linda Noskova upsets Paula Badosa in Abu Dhabi
WTA roundup: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova cruises in Abu Dhabi
Tennis-Former world number one Simona Halep announces retirement
ATP roundup: Frances Tiafoe wins Dallas opener
Tennis-Estoril Open back in ATP calendar for 2026, Metz event removed
Tennis-Kvitova to make comeback this month after maternity break
Tennis-Alcaraz says Sinner's red-hot form gives Italian the edge in best player debate

Others Also Read