Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has publicly praised Coco Gauff for her impressive performance in Saturday’s French Open final. Despite losing to Gauff, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4, Sabalenka acknowledged that her opponent played with “poise and purpose” under challenging conditions.
In the aftermath of the match, Sabalenka initially expressed frustration, calling her performance “terrible” and stating it was the worst final she had ever played. However, on Instagram, she clarified her comments, giving Gauff credit for her win.
Sabalenka admitted that she struggled with 70 unforced errors and did not play at her best. Nevertheless, she acknowledged that Gauff outperformed her and deserved the victory. The Belarusian praised Gauff’s ability to handle the weather conditions better than herself, saying she “stepped up” and “earned that title.”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6411824/2025/06/08/french-open-roland-garros-sabalenka-gauff