Down a set and 4-2, Aryna Sabalenka battles back to topple Paula Badosa in Stuttgart 

Paula Badosa led Aryna Sabalenka by a set and 4-2 at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Friday. When the match story ending was written, it didn’t quite hold up in a battle full of quality tennis.

The reigning Australian Open champion clawed back to topple her WTA Tour bestie for the second straight year in Stuttgart. Sabalenka prevailed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in clinching their quarterfinal showdown at the 500-level tournament.

“She played unbelievable tennis today. I tried to keep fighting. I’m super happy with the win,” Sabalenka reflected during an on-court interview.

“It’s tough to play against your friend, but we played against each other a lot of matches. We know how to separate off court life and on court life. There was some moments when I was about to scream ‘come on’ but I was like, ‘I don’t know. Should I or not? She’s my friend, she’ll be like thinking I’m stupid.’”

Badosa came in with a pair of emphatic victories in hand and maintained that form as the superior ballstriker for well over an hour. With Badosa serving at 4-3, 40-30 in the second set, Sabalenka punished a second serve to take control of a rally—a theme that escalated as the clash progressed.

Sabalenka went on a seven-game run before Badosa displayed her own fighting spirit to get back on serve with an inside-out forehand winner in the fifth game of the decider. The Spaniard dug in again when the opposition served for the match at 5-3, breaking at 15 by going for her shots. The pressure resulted in Sabalenka firing a game-ending double fault.

The world No. 2 shook it off in a dramatic three-deuce game. On Badosa’s first chance to level for 5-5, Sabalenka struck a roaring backhand winner up the line. That wing proved pivotal in getting her across the finish line, as a potent crosscourt backhand set Sabalenka up to deny Badosa a second game point, and that same shot clinched victory after two and a half hours.

The runner-up at the past two editions, Sabalenka hit 40 winners versus 48 unforced errors and won two more total points. In a losing effort, Badosa finished with 31 winners to 29 unforced errors. She is projected to fall outside of the Top 40 as a result of not matching her 2022 semifinal showing.