Paula Badosa sends heartfelt wish to Emma Raducanu on Brit’s 22nd birthday

Paula Badosa Sends Heartfelt Birthday Message to Emma Raducanu, Reflecting Their Close Friendship

In a touching gesture of friendship, Paula Badosa sent a sweet birthday message to Emma Raducanu, who turned 22 on November 13. The Spanish tennis star shared her heartfelt wishes on Instagram, posting a photo of the two embracing after a match at the Citi Open. Accompanying the photo, Badosa affectionately captioned it with “Happy bday Emmita,” using the nickname she and Raducanu have for each other.

This isn’t the first time the two have shared their unique bond publicly. During the grasscourt season, Raducanu had also posted about their playful nicknames—Badosa as “Paulita” and herself as “Emmita”—highlighting a friendship that has blossomed both on and off the court.

A Friendship Forged at the Citi Open

Their closeness developed earlier this year during the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., where they not only competed but also spent significant time together, sharing meals and connecting over the unique pressures of life in the public eye. Badosa, who has also faced the spotlight’s intensity, said in an interview with WTA that they bonded over these shared experiences: “We went for lunch, for breakfast. We spoke a lot about how tough it is to deal with all these expectations—especially in her case. I had a little bit of the same in my career. Especially when you feel that anything you do, it’s going to be crazy on social media. In her case, it’s like that. I think she’s dealing with it pretty well now.”

At the Citi Open, they also trained together, creating a rapport that translated onto the court. In a hard-fought semifinal match, Badosa ultimately defeated Raducanu 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, and went on to claim the tournament title—her first championship win in two years.

Badosa’s Admiration for Raducanu

Recently, Badosa highlighted her admiration for Raducanu in a Q&A session on Instagram, describing the British player as “Strong, fighter, and beautiful”—three words that capture her respect and fondness for Raducanu’s tenacity and spirit.

Preparing for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Currently, both players are back on the court, preparing to represent their respective nations at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain. Badosa is part of a strong Spanish team that includes Jessica Bouzas, Cristina Bucsa, Sara Sorribes Tormo, and Nuria Parrizas Diaz. Spain’s first matchup is against Poland, which boasts world number one Iga Swiatek. The winner of their tie will move on to face the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Raducanu is representing Great Britain alongside Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Heather Watson, and Olivia Nicholls. The British team will face Germany, and the winner will go on to play against Canada in the quarterfinals.

As they each prepare to compete on the world stage, their friendship serves as a reminder of the camaraderie that can exist even in the competitive world of professional tennis.