‘She forgave me’ – Aryna Sabalenka bought special gift for Paula Badosa following prize money joke
Aryna Sabalenka Fulfills Her Promise with a Special Gift for Paula Badosa
Aryna Sabalenka kept her word after treating her close friend and tennis rival Paula Badosa to a special gift following their Australian Open semi-final clash.
The lighthearted exchange began after Sabalenka defeated Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-finals, securing her place in the final. Despite being the favorite, the World No. 1 fell short in the championship match, losing to Madison Keys.
However, Sabalenka still took home £955,000 in prize money, adding to her career earnings of nearly £26 million.
A Shopping Promise Turned Reality
During her post-match press conference after the semi-final, Sabalenka made a playful promise to Badosa:
“Paula, we’ll go shopping, and I will pay for whatever you want.”
Badosa quickly responded with humor:
“Something really expensive then! Now that she doubled the prize money, I think she won’t have a problem with that. I’ll think about it.”
And it seems she did.
Sabalenka Delivers on Her Word
In a recent Instagram story, Sabalenka shared a clip of Badosa grinning ear to ear while unveiling her gift—an elegant piece of jewelry, possibly a bracelet.
Captioning the moment, Sabalenka simply wrote:
“She said she forgave me.”
For Badosa, the gift might just be the good-luck charm she needs as she continues her quest for a maiden Grand Slam title in 2025.
Badosa’s Grand Slam Aspirations
The 27-year-old achieved her best Grand Slam result to date at the Australian Open 2025, reaching her first semi-final. Previously, her deepest runs came in:
- French Open 2021 (Quarter-finals)
- US Open 2024 (Quarter-finals)
With a strong start to the season, Badosa will aim to break through at a Grand Slam this year.
What’s Next for Sabalenka & Badosa?
Both Sabalenka and Badosa will return to action at the Qatar Open in Doha, which begins Sunday.
Looking further ahead, the next Grand Slam, the French Open in May, will provide another golden opportunity. Both players will be among the favorites to claim the Roland Garros title.
For Sabalenka, it remains one of two missing majors in her collection, along with Wimbledon. Will 2025 be the year she finally conquers clay? 🎾🏆
