"I'm actually about to cry right now, honestly": Aryna Sabalenka left devastated by best friend Paula Badosa's injury

Once again, the best friends of the world in the WTA circuit, Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa, faced each other again. They did it at the Stuttgart Open (Porsche Tennis Grand Prix) and once again the world number 2 won, however, she had to sweat it out to get rid of a Spanish warrior.

Badosa was forced to retire at 6-7(5), 6-4 and 3-3 on the scoreboard. She could have won the match and made a surprise but a thigh injury prevented her from doing so. This is probably the best match of the 2021 Indian Wells champion in the last two years.

After the match, her close friend was devastated and wanted to have some words of encouragement for Paula: “Yeah, I'm actually about to cry right now, honestly. I don’t know. Feel so bad for her. And I love this girl, even after the terrible interview with Ons [Jabeur], but I still love her, and I feel really, I just, I don’t know, I don’t have any emotions right now. I’m not happy. I’m not sad."

The Belarusian also commented that she was very tired, that she had never played so late in Stuttgart, but that for that nice car (the Porsche, sponsor of the tournament) she would play until 3 a.m. if necessary. As well as that she will treat herself to some sugar after the long night.

"I just want to say thank you to the people who stayed till the end of this match. Thank you so much. I hope you guys can get a good rest and that you’ll be okay tomorrow. I have no words, honestly,” she added.

“I don’t know. I’m gonna cry. I'm gonna treat myself to some sugar, probably just to feel a little bit better."

Finally, she was grateful not to have to play tomorrow, as she has qualified for the quarterfinals and will face the winner of the match between Marketa Vondrousova and Anastasia Potapova on Friday.