Aryna Sabalenka said she apologized to Coco Gauff for her “unprofessional” comments following her loss in the final of the French Open.
Sabalenka, ranked No. 1 in the world, told reporters during her post-match news conference in Paris on June 7 that her mistakes — rather than Gauff’s play — were the primary reasons for her 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 defeat.
“I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then,” the 27-year-old Belarusian star said, per Eurosport Germany. “You know, we all make mistakes. I’m just a human being who’s still learning in life. I think we all have those days when we lose control. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward — not immediately, but recently.”
Sabalenka said she wrote to Gauff to “make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her.”
“I never intended to attack her,” Sabalenka said. “I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference. I’m not necessarily grateful for what I did. It took me a while to go back and think about it, to approach it with open eyes, and to understand. I realized a lot about myself.”
Gauff, 21, needed two hours and 38 minutes to win her second Grand Slam title. She won the U.S. Open in 2023, also coming from a set down to beat Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Sabalenka won just 48 percent of first-serve points on her powerful serve, with Gauff winning 60 percent.
Gauff finished with 30 winners and 30 unforced errors, with Sabalenka totaling 37 and 70, respectively.
–Field Level Media
