Aryna Sabalenka has expressed regret over the comments she made following her loss to Coco Gauff in the French Open final earlier this month. The world No. 1 admitted that her post-match remarks, which downplayed Gauff’s performance and focused on her own mistakes, were inappropriate and driven by emotion.
Speaking in an interview with Eurosport Germany, Sabalenka reflected on the emotional aftermath of the match, where she was defeated by Gauff 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4. Despite hitting 37 winners, Sabalenka also committed 70 unforced errors, significantly more than Gauff’s 30.
“Looking back, it was completely unprofessional of me,” Sabalenka said. “I let my emotions take over. I absolutely regret what I said. At the end of the day, I’m just human — still learning, still growing. We all have moments where we lose control.”
Sabalenka revealed that she eventually reached out to Gauff with a personal message to apologize. “It wasn’t right after the match, but recently I wrote to her to say I was sorry and to make sure she knew she fully deserved that win. I respect her deeply.”
She emphasized that her comments weren’t meant as a personal attack. “I was overwhelmed and not thinking clearly during that press conference. I’m not proud of it, but I’ve taken time to reflect and learn from the situation.”
This loss marked Sabalenka’s second major final defeat to Gauff, having also fallen to the American in the 2023 U.S. Open final after winning the first set.
“I’ve realized how often I let my emotions get the best of me, especially in finals,” she said. “But the biggest takeaway for me is that I’ve always valued respect in this sport — whether I win or lose. That moment reminded me how important it is to stay grounded. It was a hard lesson, but a meaningful one.”
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