The besties are back! Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka reunite for Dubai dinner date
"Sabadosa" is still going strong.
Gearing up to end her season at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in two weeks, Aryna Sabalenka let her hair down this weekend for "a date with someone special."
But move over, beau Georgios Frangulis, because there's nothing that competes with a night out with your best friend. The world No. 1 reunited with "soulmate" Paula Badosa for a dinner date in Dubai on Friday night, with the two thrilled to come together for the first time since Badosa called time on her 2025 season.
The Spaniard was again snake-bitten by injury this year, playing just one tournament since Wimbledon due to recurring back problems. She also retired from her second-round match at the China Open against Karolina Muchova with a hip injury before officially ending her season a few days later.
But Badosa was all smiles in a night on the town with Sabalenka, which has become somewhat of a tradition for the two when they're both in Dubai.
“My fav date @arynasabalenka 💖💖💖 finally!” Badosa captioned her own Instagram story, featuring a picture of Sabalenka at the table. The two cheesed for a silly selfie that Sabalenka posted after dinner, and were back together on Sunday for a pool day.
Badosa and Sabalenka's friendship deepened this year after their biggest match as opponents yet. In January, Sabalenka defeated Badosa in the semifinals of the Australian Open, after which the Badosa joked she was expecting "something expensive" as an apology. Sabalenka came good in the Middle East swing, gifting Badosa a piece of jewelry that she unboxed live on Instagram.
Read more: Aryna Sabalenka delivers the expensive gift she promised Paula Badosa at the Australian Open
But after returning to the Top 10, injuries hit the world No. 2 again, leading to fewer opportunities to hang out with her bestie on tour (even if one US Open fan gave Sabalenka a creative gift to remember Badosa by when she was missing from the field in New York.)
Nonetheless, Badosa vowed to "come back stronger" in 2026 in the Instagram post announcing the end of her season.
"There are times when I ask myself how I manage to keep going through the toughest moments. And the truth is, it's in those exact moments that I discover the deepest strength inside me," Badosa said. "Every setback hurts, but it also reminds me how badly I want to fight, how much I want to come back stronger.
"No matter how many obstacles come my way, I promise you this: I will keep fighting, I will keep pushing, and I will keep finding my way back."