Sabalenka Battles Past Best Friend Badosa at Roland-Garros
Alright, tennis fans - it was a clash of titans out on the clay courts of Roland-Garros on Saturday! World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka continued her quest for that elusive first French Open title, squaring off against her best friend and fellow pro, the former World No. 2 Paula Badosa.
Sabalenka Finds Her Groove to Dominate Second Set
But once Sabalenka found her groove, it was all over for Badosa. The Spaniard, still working her way back from a stress fracture in her back, just couldn't match Sabalenka's blistering pace in the second set. "I was just trying to do my best and fight for every point," said the 26-year-old Sabalenka, who has now won 10 of her last 11 matches.
Sabalenka Acknowledges Badosa's Comeback Efforts
It was a tough matchup for these two friends, but they handled it like the
pros they are. "It's hard to play against your best friend, but we know how
to separate things," Sabalenka said, embracing Badosa warmly at the net. She
acknowledged that Badosa, who's had her fair share of injuries, will be
right back at the top of the game very soon.
Rybakina Cruises into 4th Round at Roland-Garros
Elsewhere on the clay, the in-form Wimbledon champ Elena Rybakina cruised into the 4th round with a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win over 25th seed Elise Mertens. The Kazakh powerhouse needed just 67 minutes to dispatch the Belgian, setting up a clash with either Elina Svitolina or Ana Bogdan next.
Local Hopeful Gracheva Reaches 4th Round of a Major
And the French fans had something to cheer about as local hope Varvara Gracheva reached the 4th round of a major for the first time, taking down Irina-Camelia Begu in straight sets. She'll face either Russian teen Mirra Andreeva or American Peyton Stearns next as she looks to continue her dream run.
Action-Packed Day of Tennis at Roland-Garros
All in all, an action-packed day of tennis at Roland-Garros, with some big names advancing and a few home-grown talents making their mark. Can't wait to see what drama unfolds over the next few days on the clay courts of Paris!