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Australia Open

Friends turn rivals: Badosa and Sabalenka set for exciting Australia Open showdown

A place in the women’s final at the Australian Open is on the line as the Spaniard faces top seed Sabalenka.

A place in the women’s final at the Australian Open is on the line as the Spaniard faces top seed Sabalenka.

When Spain’s Paula Badosa and top seed Aryna Sabalenka take to the Rod Laver Arena for the first semi-final in the women’s singles, both players will leave aside a close friendship that unites both players.

Thursday’s Australia Open semi is not the first time that both players have met and given current form, most likely, it will not be the last.

The Melbourne meeting will be their eighth meeting with the odds very much on the side of the Belarusian player who leads 5-2 in head-to-head meetings.

Badosa becomes just the fourth Spaniard to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open after Conchita Martinez, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and Garbiñe Muguruza but the No. 11 seed faces a mammoth task against Sabalenka who is aiming for a third back-to-back success in Melbourne.

‘Emotional giri’

Speaking ahead of the semi-final clash, Badosa stated: “I remember a few years ago with the double faults and then she (Sabalenka) was fighting so much with all that, and then now becoming the best in the world and playing with so much confidence, I know the hard work she has put in.”

Paula Badosa
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Paula Badosa VINCE CALIGIURIAFP

“Honestly, we have very similar characters, so I feel very inspired by what she’s gone through.

“She improved in so many ways. You can see it the way she plays. For me what she improved the most is how she deals with emotions. She’s a very emotional girl.

“That’s why I empathise a lot with her. But I think she controls it so well, the pressure moments, and I think that’s the big change she did on her game, also believing that she can be the best and she proved it.”

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