Daily Dose of Social Media: Aryna Sabalenka shines in suit and tie, Alcaraz engages with young fans in Puerto Rico

Carlos Alcaraz arrived in Puerto Rico for his exhibition match with Frances Tiafoe and joined Olympic champion Monica Puig in a tennis clinic for children. In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we take a look at the best moments of the day.

Aryna Sabalenka shared several photos of her suit-and-tie outfit at Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary, while Daniil Medvedev took part in a fun video playing a "boat race" in a pool in Dubai.

Medvedev's boat race in Dubai

Daniil Medvedev (No. 6) took part in a boat race in a Dubai swimming pool, navigating a toy boat through various obstacles. The Russian showcased his good sense of humour while steering the small boat, though he wasn’t too pleased with his performance.

Read also

Daily Dose of Social Media: Alcaraz shares his must-have travel essentials, WTA stars shine in behind-the-scenes photoshoot - Raducanu, Swiatek and more

The former world No. 1 reached the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this week after straight-set victories over Jan-Lennard Struff and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. However, he squandered match points in his defeat to Tallon Griekspoor, losing 6-2, 6-7[7-9], 5-7.

The 29-year-old Russian now looks ahead to Indian Wells, where he will be the 5th seed and will have a significant number of points to defend as last year’s finalist. Medvedev remains in inconsistent form and will face extra pressure during the Sunshine Double to avoid slipping further down the rankings.

Read also

Daily Dose of Social Media: Iga Swiatek steals the spotlight at NBA game, Jack Draper shines in Vogue photoshoot

Sabalenka stuns at Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary

Aryna Sabalenka attended the 150th-anniversary celebration of Audemars Piguet, dazzling in a suit and tie. The world No. 1 was accompanied by her boyfriend, businessman Georgios Frangulis. Sabalenka is one of the leading ambassadors of the luxury watch brand, which has been by her side throughout major milestones in her career, including her Australian Open and US Open titles in 2024.

However, the 3-time Grand Slam champion has struggled on court in recent weeks. After her Australian Open final defeat to Madison Keys, Sabalenka has managed only one win and two losses during the Middle East Swing. She fell in her Doha opener against Ekaterina Alexandrova and later lost in the Dubai Round of 16 to Clara Tauson.

The 26-year-old will now aim to turn things around during the Sunshine Double, which kicks off next week in Indian Wells, where she will be the top seed.

Read also

Daily Dose of Social Media: Kvitova returns for first time in 17 months, sublime Sinner at Milan Fashion Week

Baez takes a hard fall, Comesana’s reaction steals the spotlight

The Chile Open witnessed an all-Argentine showdown in the Round of 16, as defending champion Sebastián Báez (third seed) faced Francisco Comesaña, fresh off a semi-final run at the Rio Open. The match turned into one of the most exciting battles of the season. Both players share the same coach, Sebastián Gutiérrez, and often train together, which was evident in their close contest.

One of the match’s most talked-about moments came during the third-set tie-break. Comesaña played a dropshot, prompting Báez to sprint towards the net. The defending champion managed to return the ball just before the second bounce but collapsed to the ground, unsure whether his shot had landed in. In a great display of sportsmanship, Comesaña immediately checked on his compatriot, who quickly signaled he was fine, leading to a lighthearted exchange between the two.

In the end, third seed Báez emerged victorious with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6[7-5] win, advancing to the quarter-finals while maintaining his strong form in the Golden Swing. After successfully defending his Rio Open title last week, Báez now aims to repeat the feat in Chile and retain the trophy he won last year, solidifying his dominance over the South American tour in recent seasons.

Alcaraz hits the court with kids in Puerto Rico

Carlos Alcaraz took part in a tennis clinic for children today alongside Puerto Rican former gold medalist Monica Puig. The Puerto Rican had a historic run at the Olympic Games in Brazil, defeating players like Garbiñe Muguruza and Petra Kvitova on her way to Olympic gold, which she secured by beating Angelique Kerber in the final.

The former tennis player organized an exhibition event, the second edition of the so-called "Battle of Legends," which this year features Alcaraz and 2-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe in an exhibition match with Puig as a special guest, widely regarded as Puerto Rico's greatest tennis legend.

In the images from today, Alcaraz was seen hitting with children, visiting the Spanish Consulate in Puerto Rico, and attending media duties ahead of Saturday’s exhibition match. After that, both Alcaraz and Tiafoe will travel to California to prepare for Indian Wells next week.

Sofia Kenin prepares for Indian Wells with training in Boca Raton

Sofia Kenin shared some photos from her training ahead of Indian Wells while visiting Boca Raton. The former Australian Open champion played her last tournament at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where she was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Elena Rybakina.

Before heading to Indian Wells, her next challenge, she decided to spend a few days at her home in Boca Raton, where she has been training in recent days before traveling to California.

The world No. 48 has a great opportunity to earn valuable ranking points during the Sunshine Double, as last year she was eliminated in the first round of both Indian Wells and the Miami Open. Kenin is beginning to find her rhythm on Tour, holding a 10-6 record in 2025, including her first top-5 victory since 2023 against Jasmine Paolini.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe