Tennis best friends Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa reunite for Dubai date night - after Spaniard's difficult year saw her break up with Stefanos Tsitsipas

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is preparing for a tilt at the WTA Finals trophy in Riyadh - but still had time to fit in a mini-break with her closest friend in the sport, Paula Badosa. 

Sabalenka and Badosa have both described one another as their 'soulmates', and are known by their fans by the shared moniker 'Sabadosa'. 

But the pair have frequently faced off on-court too, with their last meeting coming at this year's Australian Open in the semi-finals. 

The Belarusian, in rip-roaring form, defeated the Spanish former world No 2 in straight sets, but no egos were bruised as Sabalenka joked that she planned take her friend shopping and buy her whatever the f*** she wants'. 

Badosa was ultimately given a bracelet by the four-time Grand Slam champion at the Qatar Open in Doha. 

But since the start of the year, the Spaniard has been increasingly hampered by injury, and unable to make good on the promise shown in Melbourne. 

Announcing on social media in September that she was ending her season early after a brief appearance at the China Open - in her first matches since Wimbledon - Badosa is now working her way back to full fitness ahead of next year's Australian Open. 

And amid a spell in Dubai, Badosa also found time to link up with Sabalenka, who is also using the Emirati state as a training base. 

The pair met for dinner at the Atlantis The Royal Hotel, a stone's throw from Sabalenka's temporary home at the Atlantis The Palm Hotel, with the star hinting on her social media that she was 'on a date with someone special (tongue sticking out emoji)'. 

Badosa later shared that she was back with her 'fav date (three heart emojis) finally!'. 

They also shared pictures stressing how long it had been since seeing one another, with Sabalenka remarking: 'it's been a while (face in hands emoji) #Sabadosa'. 

Badosa added in her own caption that they were 'back together, how it should be (heart emoji)'.  

Sabalenka and Badosa opted to dine at the hotel's Greek restaurant Milos, famous for its fresh fish. 

Both women have ties to Greek culture, with Sabalenka frequently visiting the country alongside her Greek-Brazilian boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, and Badosa previously dating Greece's men's No 1 player Stefanos Tsitsipas. 

Badosa's split with Tsitsipas - the second in their on-again, off-again relationship that first started in 2023 - came on the heels of her Wimbledon first-round exit to Katie Boulter. 

Tsitsipas and Badosa had previously been open about their plans for marriage after getting back together in May 2024, but the pair quietly went their separate ways this summer. 

Menu highlights at Milos include grilled octopus, stuffed courgette flowers with feta, lobster pasta, and Greek fishes baked whole in a salt crust. 

The next day, the duo soaked up the sun, posing for pictures in their bikinis as they continued to enjoy their downtime amid the grind of the WTA Tour. 

While Badosa's season may be over as she continues to manage her persistent back injury, Sabalenka will be looking to end 2025 on a high. 

After claiming the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open - her second consecutive title in Flushing Meadows - Sabalenka will end 2025 as the World No 1. 

Sabalenka played her first tournament since her win in New York at Wuhan, reaching the semi-finals before she was knocked out by US star Jessica Pegula. 

But the 27-year-old could still claim one last trophy before her exhibition-filled post-season, as Sabalenka looks to win her first-ever WTA Finals trophy. 

Sabalenka has taken part in the women's tour's end-of-year crescendo five times on the trot, and was runner-up at the event in 2022.