Sabalenka keeps emotions in check as she defeats Badosa

Aryna Sabalenka. Pic/AFP

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka returned to the court for the first time since the death of her ex-boyfriend earlier this week and kept her emotions in check as she beat Spain's Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-3 on Friday. After six hours of rain delays, Sabalenka walked onto the court wearing an all-black outfit, a choice matched by her close friend Badosa.

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Two-times Australian Open winner Sabalenka on Wednesday said she was "heartbroken" by the death of former boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov in a statement on Wednesday, where she revealed they had not been a couple at the time of his death. Koltsov died on Monday with Miami police saying he had jumped from the balcony of a room at an resort in an "apparent suicide."

"She is a very, very strong woman, strong personality. You can see it on the court...I know her off court so it doesn't surprise me at all," Badosa said.

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