Aryna Sabalenka delivers the expensive gift she promised Paula Badosa at the Australian Open

After promising she'd buy her friend whatever she wanted as an apology for beating her in the semifinals in Melbourne, Sabalenka paid up with a glittery bracelet.

ByBaseline Staff

Published Feb 09, 2025

"I hope she’s still my friend!": Aryna Sabalenka on putting Paula Badosa friendship aside during Aussie Open semifinal

Aryna Sabalenka is a woman of her word. The world No. 1 has delivered the expensive gift she said she'd buy bestie Paula Badosa as an apology for defeating her in the Australian Open semifinals.

Last month, Sabalenka defeated Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals of the year's first Grand Slam, ending the Spaniard's deepest ever major run just short of the final. Afterwards, the world No. 1 joked that she hoped her "tour soulmate" would still be her friend, and that she'd buy Badosa whatever she wanted to make up for it. Badosa then quipped to reporters later that she'd ask for something "really expensive," since Sabalenka eventually took home nearly $1.2 million by finishing as the tournament runner-up.

Ahead of the WTA 1000 Qatar TotalEnergies Open, where Sabalenka is the top seed and Badosa is seeded No. 9, Sabalenka made good on her promise.

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In a video Sabalenka posted to her Instagram story on Saturday, a grinning Badosa could be seen unwrapping a shimmering piece of jewelry, which appeared to be a bracelet, as a giggling Sabalenka watched.

"I love it," the world No. 10 could be seen saying to Sabalenka behind the camera before the clip ended.

Captioning the post, Sabalenka wrote, "She said she forgave me," with a crying-laughing emoji.

After her Melbourne victory, the three-time major champion now boasts six straight wins against Badosa. And with a potential semifinal meeting looming for the two at the season's first WTA 1000 event, the world No. 1 might be wise to mind her bank account.