Paula Badosa believes Aryna Sabalenka “totally deserves” to be a Grand Slam champion. Sabalenka, 24, lifted her first Grand Slam title after beating Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final. After losing in three Grand Slam semifinals in the past, Sabalenka made her big Grand Slam breakthrough at the Australian Open.
Badosa and Sabalenka have a great friendship and are very close to each other. “As she always says, we’re soulmates. I think we’re very similar personalities and I admire her a lot. She’s a fighter and she’s been through a lot — tough moments — and she’s always fighting, no matter what.
We all remember how she started last year in Australia with the serve and she tried and she tried and she never gave up, and she had an amazing reward. I know for her it was very important and it’s a dream come true. And I was very happy because we’re very close and we’re living, like, the same journey together.
I think that she totally deserves it,” Badosa told Arab News.
Badosa, Daria Kasatkina: Sabalenka has earned to win a Grand Slam
Kasatkina agreed with Badosa as she also believes that Sabalenka has deservedly won a Grand Slam title.
“I don’t know if people outside of tennis see it or not, but we are here and see everything inside, you could clearly see that she’s making 1,000-percent effort to win a slam. She completely deserves it.
She’s one of the hardest workers on the tour,” Kasatkina told Arab News. In 2022, Sabalenka had a season full of ups and downs. But at the start of the 2023 season, Sabalenka has been absolutely outstanding as she 11-0 and coming off back-to-back wins at the Adelaide International and Australian Open.
Throughout her time in Australia, Sabalenka spoke several times about her new “boring calm approach and attitude.” Being more calm on the court has certainly paid off for Sabalenka in early 2023.
