PICTURES: Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa step out in style for a 'dinner date' as they continue to enjoy their fun Dubai getaway

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa are enjoying some time off the court and recently gave the fans a sneak peek of their dinner outing in Dubai. Both the players are rivals on the tennis court but share a special bond outside of it.

Sabalenka and Badosa first faced each other in 2021, meeting at both the Cincinnati Open and the WTA Finals. Over the years, the two grew close and developed a strong friendship despite competing against each other on the court. Currently, the two tennis players are enjoying a vacation together in Dubai.

The Spaniard shared a layout of four pictures with the Belarusian from their 'dinner date' in Dubai on her Instagram story, where the former wore a white top paired with a black jacket and the latter donned a black-colored dress. The post's caption read:

"We just love dinner dates💞 @arynasabalenka"

Not long ago, Sabalenka and Badosa shared glimpses of their relaxing time in Dubai. While the world No. 1 opted for a yellow bikini, Badosa rocked black swimwear, stealing the show. Adding a note on her Instagram story, the latter wrote:

"With my babe."

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa have met eight times on the WTA Tour, and the Belarusian has won six straight matches against her friend.

When Aryna Sabalenka opened up about her friendship with Paula Badosa

During the initial days of their meeting, Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa were framed as rivals; however, with time, the two grew into very close friends. The two are frequently seen talking about each other's friendships in media interactions, and once in a conversation with Punto de Break, the world No.1 made her feelings known about her bond with Badosa.

Stating that despite battling for the same titles on the tours, she said that they share a very special bond outside of the court. She also called the Spaniard her 'soulmate' and said that it is very difficult to find one in the circuit. (as quoted by Tennis world USA)

"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," Aryna Sabalenka said.

She added:

"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."

On the tennis front, Aryna Sabalenka recently competed at the Wuhan Open, where she couldn't advance further than the semi-final round after being trounced by Jessica Pegula. On the other hand, Badosa's last appearance was at the China Open, where she had to retire midway in the round of 32 against Karolina Muchova. Following this clash, she announced the end of her 2025 season.

About the author

An English Honors graduate, Nancy is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering US Olympic sports. She has a total experience of 4 years, having previously worked as a Marketing Executive for BYJU’S before finding her footing at SK.

To deliver the best content, Nancy keeps herself updated by reading as much as possible about the athletes and the sport, and believes that researching and trusting credible sources is the key to reporting ethical and accurate information.

Track and Field events particularly interest Nancy, and she is a fan of Allyson Felix. While she cherished each of her victories, her favorite Olympic moment happens to be the retired athlete’s 10th medal at the Games.

Nancy believes that covering the personal lives and training sessions of the Olympic athletes, and showcasing old podcasts or interviews would help bridge the coverage gap of the sport in its off season.

When away from her keyboard, Nancy spends most of her free time reading books. She also writes poems and plans on publishing a book.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua