Paula Badosa’s gushing praise for Aryna Sabalenka after emotional match in Miami

Aryna Sabalenka found a way to get her mind focused on tennis as she beat her great friend Paula Badosa 6-4 6-3 at the Miami Open.

World No 2 Sabalenka decided to continue playing in Miami following the sudden death of her former boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov on Monday.

Former ice hockey player Koltsov, who played in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins, died in Miami aged 42 in what police described as an “apparent suicide”.

Sabalenka confirmed that she and Koltsov were no longer a couple before his death, as she posted this message on her Instagram account.

“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” Sabalenka wrote. “Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Many observers were surprised that Sabalenka had the mental strength to play tennis so soon after the tragedy, with the sporting fates decreeing that she would play her best friend Badosa in her opening match in Miami.

“Sabalenka wears her heart on her sleeve,” said Sky Sports Tennis commentator Nick Lester prior to the match.

“It’s a step into the unknown for her. Goodness knows how she’s going to cope today. Playing her best friend adds another dimension.

“It’s going to be a very big test to see how she’s going to cope over the next couple of hours.”

What followed was a stunning example of the levels Sabalenka can reach, even at a moment in her life when he mind must be swirling.

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka breaks her silence on sudden death of ex-partner with emotional message

Her powerful hitting from the back of the court was in evidence throughout a contest that contained some high-quality points, with the two friends sharing some smiles as they coped admirably with the windy conditions in Miami.

This match was delayed due to the rain in Miami and for much of Friday morning, it seemed likely that the entire day’s play may be washed out in Miami.

Yet some fans remained on site in the hope that the woeful weather forecast may be wrong and they got lucky as they witnessed an emotional and classy contest between Sabalenka and Badosa.

Dressed in black and with a baseball cap on, the Belarusian looked up to the sky before she gave Badosa a fist pump at the coin toss with her opponent also kitted out in all-black.

After a cagey start with the pair exchanging double-faults, Sabalenka forced two break points opportunities in the fifth game but Badosa fought back to hold.

It was brief respite for the Spaniard, with Sabalenka able to eventually clinch the first break point of the match to move 4-3 up when Badosa sent her return long.

Sabalenka sealed the first set when her fierce backhand was returned wide to claim a 46-minute opener in windy conditions.

The pair shared a smile during the second game of set two when a big gust of wind forced Sabalenka to abandon her serve which sparked laughter from the crowd and the world number two.

It was soon back to business for the 25-year-old and she broke Badosa again to move 2-1 up.

Badosa was able to force a break point opportunity of her own in the eighth game of the second set, but Sabalenka responded with a sumptuous winner that earned applause from her opponent.

The match ended a few minutes later, with the two players sharing a touching moment as they shared a warm embrace at the net.

“After everything that’s happened, you play like that,” said Badosa, congratulating the Belarusian on her level of performance.

Sabalenka has requested that she does not partake in any media duties this week to avoid being quizzed about Koltsov’s death, so she left the court immediately after the match without doing an interview for the fans.

She received a warm reception as she left the court and will now look to continue her run in Miami when she takes on Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina in the next round.

These two players have something of a chequered past, as Kalinina refused to shake Sabelenka’s hand when they played against each other last year due to her nation’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“If she hates me, OK. I can’t do anything about that,” said Sabalenka at the time.

“There are going to be people who love me; there are going to be people who hate me. If she hates me, I don’t feel anything like that to her.”