Aryna Sabalenka tries to make up with Paula Badosa with a ‘shopping’ promise after beating her in the Australian Open semifinals

Aryna Sabalenka will meet either Madison Keys or Iga Swiatek in her third consecutive Australian Open final.

Aryna Sabalenka tries to make up with Paula Badosa with a ‘shopping’ promise after beating her in the Australian Open semifinals

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa (via X)

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka is shining both on and off the court. After defeating her close friend Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in the Australian Open semifinals, Sabalenka gave fans a reason to laugh. During her celebration, she jokingly made a promise to Badosa that could be costly for her bank account.

This marks Sabalenka’s third straight final at Melbourne Park. Despite the high stakes of their match, her post-match comments highlighted the strong friendship between the two players. Their bond was evident, even during such an intense competition.

YouTube video

I hope she’s still my friend… I promise Paula we will go shopping and I’ll pay for whatever you want.

Aryna Sabalenka said in her post-match interview

After the match, the two shared a warm embrace at the net. Sabalenka joked that Badosa might “hate her for a day or two,” adding humor to the occasion. Their camaraderie stood out despite the rivalry on the court.

FS Video

Fans loved the moment, praising Sabalenka’s fun and playful personality. The exchange showed how much the two players respect and care for each other, even in the heat of competition.

Aryna Sabalenka makes history at the Australian Open

Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, advanced to her third straight Australian Open final on Thursday night. The World No. 1 defeated Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals. With this win, Sabalenka extended her unbeaten streak at Melbourne Park to 20 matches. She has started the 2025 season strong, maintaining an 11-0 record.

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (via X)

Sabalenka is now just one win away from achieving a rare three-peat at the Australian Open. If she wins on Saturday, she will become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-1999) to claim three consecutive titles at this tournament. At 26, Sabalenka is also the youngest woman to reach three straight Australian Open finals since Hingis.

In the final, Sabalenka will face either Iga Swiatek or Madison Keys. Her victory over Badosa improved her head-to-head record against the Spaniard to 6-2. Despite the loss, Badosa had a breakthrough tournament, reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal and securing a return to the Top 10 in the WTA rankings.

Badosa started the match strongly, taking a 2-0 lead with a triple-game point. However, Sabalenka fought back and broke serve in a crucial eight-minute game. She then won four straight games to take control. After building a 4-2 lead, Sabalenka dominated the rest of the match, which lasted 1 hour and 26 minutes, without facing another break point.