Sabalenka and Badosa share sun and smiles in Dubai, Draper back on court, Rublev celebrates birthday

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa stole the spotlight after their reunion in Dubai, sharing several photos and videos for fans after a sunny get-together, this time off the courts. The World No. 1 is preparing for the WTA Finals, and the Spanish player is recovering from an injury.

Meanwhile, Jack Draper showed his return to the courts in London as he prepares for his comeback at the UTS at the end of the year, while Andrey Rublev celebrated his birthday while preparing for his debut at the Vienna Open.

Andrey Rublev received several greetings on his 28th birthday while preparing for his debut at the ATP 500 Vienna Open. The Russian—World No. 15—is going through a difficult period after his run in the Asian swing, where he suffered three consecutive first-round defeats in Hangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai. Now back in Europe, Rublev will debut this Tuesday against Cameron Norrie as he seeks to return to winning ways.

Jack Draper is back on the courts at the Lawn Tennis Centre, preparing for his return in the 2026 season. The British No. 1 suffered from injuries in the second half of the year, which forced him to withdraw from much of the North American swing. The Brit only played one tournament after Wimbledon, arriving barely ready for the US Open, but ended up retiring after his first-round victory against Federico Agustín Gómez. Shortly thereafter, he announced that he was ending his season due to an arm injury, ruling himself out of the ATP Finals—where he had been in the qualifying zone all year until just a couple of weeks ago.

Nevertheless, Draper is not taking a break and is already back on the tennis courts, thinking about his return. His first commitment will be at the UTS London Grand Final, which will take place between December 5th and 7th and will feature Draper as one of the competing stars. It remains to be seen what level the 2025 Indian Wells champion will reach as he looks ahead to the 2026 season.

A weekend of sun and camaraderie in Dubai reunited Paula Badosa and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, two of the most prominent figures in women's tennis. Although rivalry marks their on-court encounters, off the court, the two have forged a friendship that transcends competition. This time, the players shared dinners, pool days, and even a viral TikTok dance, showing their followers a more personal and human side, away from the pressure of the professional circuit.

The reunion, documented on their social media, began with Sabalenka hinting at a “date with someone special,” revealing shortly after that it was the Spanish player. “It’s been too long,” the Belarusian expressed alongside a photo with the Spaniard. For her part, Paula enthusiastically replied: “My favorite date, finally!” The published images and videos reflected the joy of seeing each other again, with both enjoying the sun, the pool, and choreographies that quickly went viral. Sabalenka summarized the moment with a TikTok video that had a direct message: “Reunion with my best friend.”

The immediate future of both players presents different paths. While Badosa is focusing on her physical and mental recovery, with the hope of returning to competition next season, Sabalenka continues in the elite of women's tennis and is preparing to play the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia in early November. The Catalan, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open this year before injuries interrupted her season, made it clear that her return will depend on her evolution. “See you in 2026,” she announced after her withdrawal from the WTA 1000 in Beijing, leaving the door open for a possible return.

Amanda Anisimova shared photos from her days exploring Amsterdam while taking a break before competing in the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The American secured her second WTA 1000 title at the China Open earlier this month, defeating the Czech Linda Noskova in the final. Shortly thereafter, she announced that she would withdraw from the Wuhan Open—aiming to take a break from competition and arrive at Riyadh in better form.

Meanwhile, the World No. 4 took advantage of her travel back to visit the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Anisimova shared several photos of her trip days before returning to the courts.