Aryna Sabalenka had a simple routine during her stay in Dubai as the Belarusian reveals she put in the work during the day, while she would enjoy some quality time with Paula Badosa and other friends during the evening.
On October 11th, Sabalenka concluded her campaign at the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan with a tight three-set semifinal loss to Jessica Pegula. A couple of days later, the four-time Grand Slam champion started posting Instagram Stories and TikTok videos from Dubai alongside her best friend Badosa.
On Sunday, Sabalenka played her first match in over 20 days - and she was clinical - dismantling Jasmine Paolini 6-3 6-1 in her WTA Finals opener. The Belarusian looked sharp from start to finish and her win was never a doubt.
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Sabalenka asked to give sneak peek into her Dubai time with Badosa
I love spending time with Paula. We had so many days, we had fun... I just like staying in Dubai. There is good food, I spend time with friends in the evening, and of course, it was hard work during the day. But then I got to spend some time with friends," the world No. 1 said on Tennis Channel.
Sabalenka opened a 3-0 lead in the first set and she also won the opening four games of the second set. While the reigning US Open champion completely outplayed and dominated Paolini, she still refused to declare it an easy win.
"I'm super happy with the level I played, super happy with the win. She is a tough opponent, we have played a lot of great matches, it does not matter what the score looks like, it is always a tough one, you cannot lose your focus for a second," the Belarusian reflected.
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In her second group-stage match at the WTA Finals, Sabalenka plays against Pegula, who defeated Coco Gauff on Sunday. It will be a chance for the top-ranked Belarusian to get her revenge for the recent Wuhan semifinal loss.
