Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has apologized to American opponent Coco Gauff over “unprofessional” comments made after her loss in the French Open final. In a recent interview with Eurosport Germany, Sabalenka expressed regret for suggesting that Gauff’s win was due to her own mistakes rather than her opponent’s performance.
The remarks, made during a post-match press conference, sparked controversy and were widely criticized as unprofessional. However, Sabalenka now admits that she let her emotions get the better of her and regrets what she said.
Sabalenka wrote to Gauff to apologize and express her respect for the American’s victory. She stated that she never intended to attack Gauff but was overcome by emotion at the time. The loss marked the second time Sabalenka has faced Gauff in a major final, with the US Open final earlier this year also ending in defeat.
In reflecting on the incident, Sabalenka learned a valuable lesson about maintaining respect for her opponents, even in the face of defeat. She emphasized that treating opponents with respect is crucial to her success and looks forward to applying this lesson moving forward.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/17/aryna-sabalenka-coco-gauff-french-open