"She's a very very strong woman": Paula Badosa wasn't shocked by Aryna Sabalenka's composure in Miami win despite tragedy
WTA
Paula Badosa was dumped out of the Miami Open by Aryna Sabalenka with the World Number Two putting in a resolute display despite recent circumstances with her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov reportedly committing suicide on Monday.
It was a shock to many that Sabalenka even played and despite looking dejected on the court, the Australian Open champion in terms of her game was full of composure and looked to have a steely determination perhaps buoyed by everything going on in her life and wanting to block it out. Playing her best friend too was a different hurdle and one that Badosa wasn't shocked that Sabalenka overcame.
“Well, honestly, both of us are pretty strong mentally. We're strong women. She proved it. I proved it. We knew how to disconnect in that two hours, one hours and a half of match," said Badosa.
"She played really well. I played really well for where I'm coming from. I think it was quite decent. That all comes from because we know we've been through a lot in our lives, we're strong women, and we know how to separate that in that moment.”
But Badosa wasn't shocked about her composure in the match and expected it after such a tragedy. She also said what she said at the net as the duo shared a heartwarming embrace in which they both left smiling and emotional showing their bond. “No, I wasn't surprised at all. As I said, she's a very, very strong woman, strong personality. You can see it on the court. Especially I know her off court. It doesn't surprise me at all.
I knew she was going to play very well or like normal. I told her I wish her the best. Let's see if she can go very deep in this tournament.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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