Daily Dose of Social Media: Gauff and Rybakina join forces in training session, Sabalenka and Shelton rock fashion worlds

Some high-level training sessions took place at Indian Wells, which we review in a new Daily Dose of Social Media. Coco Gauff teamed up with Elena Rybakina at Tennis Paradise Stadium, while Madison Keys prepared for her comeback alongside former Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic.

Aryna Sabalenka and Ben Shelton were featured in some photoshoots as they continue their ventures into the fashion world, while Rafael Nadal surprised everyone today with images of him playing padel.

A luxury training session took place at Indian Wells between two Grand Slam champions. 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff (No. 3) teamed up with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (No. 7), who also won Indian Wells back in 2023. Although both have been major protagonists on the WTA Tour in recent seasons, they only have one previous encounter, back at the 2022 Canadian Open, where Gauff claimed a thrilling victory 6-4, 6-7[8-10], 7-6[7-3].

Both players have a first-round bye. Rybakina awaits the winner between Marie Bouzkova and Suzan Lamens, while Gauff could have an exciting clash against Emma Raducanu—although the Brit must first beat Japan's Moyuka Uchijima. Rybakina and Gauff are strong title contenders in Tennis Paradise. Can they dethrone Iga Swiatek?

Aryna Sabalenka continues to steal the spotlight in the fashion world, this time appearing in several photos in a swimsuit for Ocean Drive, one of the brands she represents. Recently, she graced the cover of Modern Luxury magazine: "Beyond her powerful serve and aggressive playing style, there's a lot more to Sabalenka than meets the eye.

From her self-discipline to her love of fashion, and even her penchant for unwinding in unexpected ways, Sabalenka offers a fascinating look at what it takes to thrive in the demanding world of professional sports while maintaining a balanced lifestyle."

The world No. 1 is in California preparing for her participation in Indian Wells, where she could debut between Friday and Saturday in the second round, facing the winner of the match between Russia's Anna Blinkova and local player McCartney Kessler. A year ago, the Belarusian reached the round of 16 – defeating Peyton Stearns and Emma Raducanu – but was surprised by 23rd seed Emma Navarro. This will be a good chance for Sabalenka to put behind an inconsistent Middle East Swing, where she came away with one win and two losses.

Emma Navarro appeared in a fun video for Red Bull upon her arrival at Indian Wells. The world No. 8 is one of the faces of the energy drink brand and has been filming promotional videos and photoshoots, as well as enjoying a Red Bull exhibition. "The only time you'll see me in an office is with @redbull 🪽 always a good time with the team."

The American arrives in great confidence after winning her first WTA 500 title at the Merida Open, with an impeccable performance, especially in the final, where she defeated Emiliana Arango with a remarkable double bagel (6-0, 6-0). Navarro had been at risk of falling out of the top 10, but her great performance allows her to enter the Sunshine Double as world No. 8. A year ago, she reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells but was eliminated by Maria Sakkari – the tournament’s eventual finalist. Navarro is now waiting for her second-round debut against the winner between Sorana Cirstea and a qualifier.

Rafael Nadal returned to sports, but this time playing padel, alongside none other than Carlos Moya. The 22-time Grand Slam champion left his tennis racket behind and is beginning to get familiar with the rules of padel. The former world No. 1 has joined the discipline that has taken the world by storm in recent years.

From the Rafael Nadal Academy, they launched the Nadal Academy Padel Tour by The Adecco Group. A new circuit aimed at showcasing the methodology, DNA, and values of his tennis academy in the padel environment.

But this padel thing is more than just a hobby for the Mallorca-born Nadal. Rafa Nadal is already organizing a circuit with six tournaments. The winners will get the opportunity to take a test to enter the academy he founded in his hometown, which is now also focusing on this sport. “I had so much fun today! 😃 Who do you think won the match? 👀,” he posted on Instagram.

Ben Shelton is once again stepping into the fashion world by appearing in a recent Vogue photoshoot. The 22-year-old tennis player has made a name for himself at the top of the Tour with impressive performances in major tournaments, including two semifinal appearances (US Open 2023 and Australian Open 2025), as well as two titles at the Japan Open and Houston Open.

“Tennis was my dad’s thing,” Shelton commented in his recent interview with Vogue. “It was my sister’s thing. And for me, growing up in American public schools, tennis wasn’t really cool. Football is cool, basketball is cool—even baseball is cool. But playing quarterback—being on that field, hitting people—for me, that was the most fun you can have in athletics.”

Belinda Bencic is preparing for her return to Indian Wells and shared some photos from her latest training session in Tennis Paradise, alongside none other than Australian Open champion Madison Keys. The Swiss tennis player had a 2024 season away from the courts due to her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter in May of the previous year.

However, upon her return this year, she has quickly regained her form, boasting an impressive 13-4 record and securing her first title of the season at the Abu Dhabi Open, defeating top-tier opponents such as former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova along the way. Bencic has rapidly climbed the WTA Rankings, now sitting at World No. 56 with just a handful of tournaments played. Her best result at Indian Wells so far is reaching the semifinals in 2019, where she ultimately lost to Angelique Kerber.

Her training partner for this session was Madison Keys, who is preparing for her first tournament since the Australian Open. After a February free of competition—due to a WTA regulation that forced her to withdraw from the ATX Open last week—Keys is looking to extend her streak of 12 consecutive wins while maintaining her lead in the WTA Race.