Friendship goals on the tennis tour are epitomized by Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa. Their bond, affectionately dubbed “Sabadosa” by fans, blossomed after their initial meeting at the 2021 Cincinnati Open. Over the years, their friendship has only deepened. Sabalenka calls Badosa her “soulmate” and an “incredible person.” And Paula is quick to reciprocate, crediting their matching competitive fire and their knack for separating on-court rivalry from off-court connection. Now, with Ons Jabeur in the mix, a playful “tug-of-war” for Paula’s affections has fans entertained. This time, it’s another round of heartwarming antics!

On Thursday, Paula posted an endearing video to her Instagram story. In the clip, she’s sitting at a restaurant—completely unaware of Ons Jabeur sneaking up behind her. When Paula finally notices, her face lights up and she instantly wraps Ons in a warm hug. She captioned it perfectly: “A few days ago this happened…🥹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 best surprise @onsjabeur.” And Ons?

The three-time Grand Slam finalist loved the moment and reposted Paula Badosa’s video to her own IG story, writing below it, “My chica always here for you ❤.” Isn’t that adorable? These two have really clicked over the past year, treating fans to countless glimpses of their growing friendship and signature “best friend” banter. And we can’t forget Aryna Sabalenka—she once jokingly admitted she felt “hurt” after Paula called Ons her “best friend.”

It happened at the 2024 Stuttgart Open. Paula called Ons her “best friend” at a press conference. Jabeur had fun with it, posting the clip to her Instagram and tagging Sabalenka with a playful “Sorry.” Aryna wasn’t about to stay silent. She reshared it and fired back with, “Ok bye @pulabadosa You lost me now!!!!”

But Paula wasn’t done. She quickly replied, “Hahahahaha nooooooo! But.. Where were you after my match? @sabalenka_aryna I love you both ok? @onsjabeur.” Fans couldn’t get enough of the trio’s hilarious, heartwarming social media exchanges—proof that off-court, these rivals are thick as thieves.

But what’s happening on the court? For now, these three friends are taking a break from competing. Paula, Aryna, and now Ons have all stepped away from the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montreal this month. Sabalenka cited fatigue, Paula Badosa is out due to a tear in her psoas ahead of Wimbledon, and Jabeur just shared she’s taking a break for her own well-being.

So, for now, the friends won’t be battling it out on the court. But Paula has already shared her thoughts on which friend she’d choose on the court as well!

Paula Badosa snubs Aryna for her ideal coach!

There was a twist of delight at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Championship. WTA stars were challenged by Arab News: Which rival would you want as your coach? Badosa jumped in with no hesitation. “By far I would pick Ons Jabeur. I think we would connect very well. She knows very good about tennis, but especially emotionally.” But Paula wasn’t fazed by the raised eyebrows.

She had her reasons. “I say that because also we played doubles. And sometimes when you’re playing doubles, you have to coach each other,” she explained. The record backs her up: Badosa and Jabeur joined forces at the 2025 Brisbane International, taking down Alexandra Panova and Guo Hanyu in their opener before bowing out in the quarters to Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider—who took the title. Shared court time, shared strategies, and plenty of support already made the pick an obvious one in Badosa’s book.

“It’s just natural,” the Spaniard said, emphasizing the duo’s chemistry. “There are some moments that one is playing better than the other, so we do it already, and we feel very comfortable, both of us, so I would pick her by far.” For Paula Badosa, teaming up with Jabeur is more than a tactic—it’s a comfort zone.

She reflected on why Jabeur makes the perfect partner: “We just played doubles, decided to play doubles sometimes when we need some matches. I think it helps each other.” But no shade thrown at the Belarusian: “With Aryna, if it happens also, but I think she doesn’t need a lot of matches right now. She’s good with that.”

No drama here—just a trio showing off tennis’s softer side. Fans love it! All three have popped up together on Paula Badosa’s Instagram, the caption reading simply “Friendship” with all the right laughing emojis. Now that they’re all taking time off the court, could another iconic photo be on the way? Only time will tell!