Today in
our
Daily Dose of Social Media, we review the most significant activities and
Entertainment from ATP and WTA players.
Aryna Sabalenka celebrated finishing the year as World No. 1 with a recap video of the best moments of the year off the court. Meanwhile,
Jannik Sinner’s match was attended by several Italian stars, including his colleague
Jasmine Paolini.
Meanwhile,
Iga Swiatek traveled to Malaga and was welcomed at the airport by a Spanish legend as she prepares for the
Billie Jean King Cup Final. She will face
Paula Badosa, who was recently seen training in a video and received playful teasing from her boyfriend,
Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Paolini, Chiellini
and more: Italian stars gather for Jannik Sinner’s match
Jannik
Sinner's debut at the
ATP Finals captivated local fans as he took the court for
the first time in Italy as World No. 1. The 2-time Grand Slam champion
delivered an impressive performance, defeating
Alex De Minaur 6-3, 6-4 to start
the tournament on the right foot. Among the spectators were some notable tennis
figures, including
Lorenzo Sonego (World No. 53) and
Flavio Cobolli (World No.
32), who came to support their Davis Cup teammate.
It wasn't
just them, as World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini was also in the crowd just days
before her participation in the
WTA Finals. The 28-year-old had an outstanding
year, reaching the finals at Wimbledon and the French Open, and winning the
most significant title of her career at the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis
Championships. The crowd also included former Italian footballer Giorgio
Chiellini, a legend of Juventus and the Italian national team.
Naomi Osaka
shines at star-studded gala in Los Angeles
Naomi Osaka
attended the Baby2Baby Gala alongside notable celebrities in Los Angeles. Among
the guests were singer Katy Perry, model Heidi Klum, and actresses Jessica
Alba, Charlize Theron, and Jennifer Garner in a star-studded evening aimed at
raising funds for children in poverty.
The event
is also a significant fashion showcase, with attendees wearing their best
outfits on the red carpet, where former World No. 1 Osaka also made an
appearance. She shared photos of her look on social media, wearing a Louis
Vuitton ensemble.
The 4-time
Grand Slam champion ended her season early in early October after sustaining an
injury during the China Open. Osaka had advanced to the round of 16 and was
facing Coco Gauff, but a lower back injury forced her to withdraw as she
prepared to play the third set (6-3, 4-6). The Japanese star finishes the
season ranked World No. 69 and will return to the court in 2025, aiming for the
Australian Open.
Sabalenka’s best moments from her stellar 2024 Season
Despite her
semifinal loss at the WTA Finals, Aryna Sabalenka has much to celebrate after
completing the best season of her career. The Belarusian finishes the year with
an impressive 56-14 record and four titles, including the Australian Open and
US Open. Additionally, she regained the World No. 1 ranking at the end of the
season, ending Iga Swiatek’s streak of 50 consecutive weeks at the top and
finishing the year as the No. 1 player for the first time.
Sabalenka
recently shared a video on social media recapping the highlights of her season,
featuring training moments, her trophies, and some celebrations off the court
with her team, her boyfriend, and her fans. “Looking back on an incredible 2024
season 🫶,” she
posted. “I’m beyond grateful for the amazing team that’s been with me every
step of the way. From facing challenges to celebrating victories and everything
in between. Excited to see what next season has in store 💪 #TeamTiger.”
Tsitsipas playfully
mocks Badosa's training as she prepares for Billie Jean King Cup
Paula
Badosa is hard at work preparing for the Billie Jean King Cup, which starts in
a week in Malaga. Team Spain will face a tough challenge against Poland, and
Badosa will be tasked with facing World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
The Spanish
Tennis Federation recently shared a video of the former Indian Wells champion
practicing her forehand from the baseline on the Central Court. The video was
reposted by her boyfriend, Stefanos Tsitsipas, who jokingly mocked, "Did
you know that you don't have to pay tolls to get close to the net? 🙃"
"🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Stefane Stefane…. 👀" Badosa replied. Soon after,
she shared a picture of herself from the same practice, attempting a backhand
volley at the net.
Tsitsipas
is currently in Turin, waiting for a possible spot in the ATP Finals, as he is
the second alternate, just behind Grigor Dimitrov. If any of the eight
qualifiers is injured during the round-robin phase, alternates could replace
them on court.
Swiatek joins
Team Poland for Billie Jean King Cup Finals
Iga Swiatek
isn’t calling it a year despite her early exit from the WTA Finals; she quickly
traveled to Malaga to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup with Team Poland. The
5-time Grand Slam champion landed at Costa del Sol Airport, where she was
welcomed by tournament director and Spanish tennis legend Conchita Martinez.
Initially,
the 23-year-old player did not appear on the official roster of Captain Dawid
Celt, although, a few weeks later, Swiatek herself confirmed her participation
in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The Polish team also includes Magdalena
Frech (No. 24), Magda Linette (No. 38), Maja Chwalinska (No. 165), and
Katarzyna Kawa (No. 93 doubles ranking). Poland will face Spain in the first
round, with Swiatek set to face none other than Paula Badosa as the top singles
players for each country.