Paula Badosa has described Aryna Sabalenka as a “strong woman with a strong personality” after being beaten by the Belarusian just days after the death of her former boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov.
Sabalenka returned to the tennis court after Koltsov died at the age of 42 on Monday, in what police described as an
“apparent suicide” in Miami.
Sabalenka said her “heart is broken” following Koltsov’s death, but she was able to show incredible composure and poise to beat Spain’s Badosa 6-4 6-3 after an emotional few days.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of Aryna Sabalenka’s win over Paula Badosa at the Miami Open
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sabalenka and Badosa embraced at the net after an emotional week for the Belarusian
“Honestly, both of us are pretty strong mentally,” Badosa said. “We’re strong women. She proved it. I proved it. We knew how to disconnect in that match.
“She played really well. I played really well for where I’m coming from (following injury). 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.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Badosa was left applauding Sabalenka’s stunning backhand winner following a lung-busting rally
Asked if she was surprised by Sabalenka’s level of play in the circumstances, Badosa added: “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 as 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.”
Sabalenka was welcomed onto the Grandstand court to warm applause, while dressed in black and with a baseball cap on, she looked up to the sky before giving Badosa a fist pump at the coin toss with her opponent also kitted out in all-black.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
The wind was relentless in Miami as Sabalenka lost the ball during her serve but managed to find the funny side
The 25-year-old sealed the first set in windy conditions before breaking Badosa twice in the next set to secure victory.
The friends embraced at the net as the second seed opened her account for the tournament with an emotional win.
Next up for Sabalenka is a third-round clash with Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina after she beat Caroline Wozniacki on Thursday.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sabalenka and Badosa shared a light-hearted moment when they couldn’t decide which towels to use before their clash
How to watch play on Sky Sports Tennis
The stars of tennis will appear on the new Sky Sports Tennis channel every day
Sky Sports has confirmed a new home for tennis in the UK and Ireland, with Sky Sports Tennis on Sky and NOW, making tennis content available all day, every day for fans.
Sky Sports will broadcast more live tennis than anywhere else, bringing over 4,000 matches from more than 80 tournaments a year on the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as full coverage of the US Open, all exclusively live.
Non-Sky subscribers can stream live matches with a NOW Sports Day and Month Membership, via Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Sports Arena, and Sky Sports Mix channels.
For further access, fans will also be able to follow their favourite players and gain deeper insights from both Tours via Sky Sports News, the Sky Sports app, on SkySports.com and via Sky Sports social channels.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours
Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp!
You can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel!
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.