Sabalenka and Putintseva's Culinary Rivalry Heats Up in Wuhan

Sabalenka and Putintseva's Culinary Rivalry Heats Up in Wuhan

In a thrilling encounter at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, Aryna Sabalenka and Yulia Putintseva showcased their fierce competitive spirit and enduring friendship. Despite a rocky start, Sabalenka rallied from a set down to defeat Putintseva 1-6, 6-4, 6-0.

The match was not without its emotional moments. Both players displayed their fiery temperaments, but ultimately embraced at the net, demonstrating their mutual respect. Sabalenka acknowledged the close bond they share, despite their on-court rivalry.

"We're both really emotional people," Sabalenka said. "We were going up and down with our emotions today. But I think we're still friends, which is good."

Putintseva's culinary skills have become a topic of discussion between the two players. Sabalenka praised her rival's cooking abilities, but joked that she might be hesitant to accept an invitation to dinner.

"She's really good in cooking," Sabalenka said. "She's making delicious food. Probably I'll never try her stuff again. Or she'll invite me and she'll poison my meal."

Despite their playful banter, Sabalenka and Putintseva have maintained a close friendship over the years. Sabalenka was even invited to Putintseva's pre-Australian Open birthday party in January.

"It's tough to play," Sabalenka said. "Especially because we're both really emotional people. But we understand that. Off court, we don't bring tennis life into it."

As for Putintseva's signature dish, Sabalenka recalled a particularly memorable meal.

"The last one was I think carbonara," Sabalenka said. "It was like Italian pasta. It was so good. I was like, 'Give me more, it was so good.'"

With her victory in Wuhan, Sabalenka extended her winning streak to 13 matches. She is projected to lead the PIF WTA Race to the WTA Finals on Monday.

Tags: #WTA, #WuhanOpen, #Sabalenka, #Putintseva, #TennisRivalry