Paula Badosa offered a bit funny but also very honest assessment of how it feels to play Aryna Sabalenka as the Spaniard says her best friend moves a rival around the court like she is playing a PlayStation game.
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On Thursday, the world No. 12 fell short in her first Grand Slam semifinal as the top seed claimed a routine 6-4 6-2 win.
After losing the opening two games of the match, Sabalenka upped her game as she earned a total of four breaks and also didn't lose her serve once in the remainder of the match.
The Belarusian also fired 32 aces and won 77 percent of her first-serve points while Badosa registered only 11 winners and created only one break point opportunity.
"Everything she was doing today, touching today, could become gold. I have nothing to say," the 11th-seeded Spaniard said.
"Of course credit to her, congratulations to her. She played the best match not even of the week -- from the last months, for sure.
"If she plays like this, I mean, we can already give her the trophy."
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Badosa: I feel like Sabalenka is playing a PlayStation
In 2021, the Spanish tennis star beat the Belarusian in their first two meetings.
Since then, she has lost five in a row against the three-time Grand Slam winner.
"Sometimes you're like, I don't know, I'm just walking around the court because I feel like she's playing a PlayStation," Badosa explained.
"Today she was like that. So sometimes I'm like, what's happening? I don't have time even to think."
The Spaniard and Sabalenka have a very close relationship off the court.
After her win, the world No. 1 joked that she knew her best friend was probably a bit angry at her so she promised to take her to a shopping and buy her whatever she wanted.
