After two great hours of on-court battling, the match between Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka ended on a bad note.
It was the second time in a couple of weeks that the two good friends played against each other, and for a while, it seemed like Badosa would avenge her loss at the Miami Open a few weeks ago.
She was on top early but then lost the first set in the tie-break. She would come back to win the second set but was forced to retire in the third one at 3-3, despite leading early in the deciding set.
The Spaniard experienced some back pain in the second set, and she was starting to play really well. The back pain was treated off the court, but then she started to limp as well, and ultimately, she was forced to retire.
It was a tearful retirement for Badosa, who has dealt with a lot of injury problems for over a year now. Anytime she finally works her way back to health, the Spanish player suffers a setback, and Sabalenka, a good friend of hers, is well aware of that.
She spoke about that after the match, admitting that it was heartbreaking seeing her friend experience another setback.
"I think it’s very important in this competitive atmosphere to have a friend. I love this girl, and I feel so bad, [she’s] not feeling her best and I literally was about to cry."
"I feel for her and I really hope that she’s gonna recover as soon as possible, and that she’ll be ready for Madrid. Once again, I’m really grateful to have such a friend like Paula."
There is never a good time for an injury setback, but this one coming the week before the Madrid Open is really heartbreaking because it's one of Badosa's favorite events.
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