Aryna Sabalenka has revealed how she truly feels about her controversial comments about Coco Gauff after her loss in the 2025 French Open final. The World No. 1 suffered a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 loss to Gauff in the title clash and later made some unfavorable remarks that have landed her in trouble.
Sabalenka has facing a deluge of criticism since suggesting that it was her error-prone display, not Gauff’s brilliance, that decided the outcome of the French Open final. The Belarusian also drew backlash for claiming that Iga Swiatek would’ve defeated the American if she had reached the final.
Although Aryna Sabalenka initially defended her right to be “honest and human” in how she processed the loss, she has changed her perspective on the comments after taking some time to reflect on her remarks. In an interview with TNT Sports, the World No. 1 said her comments about Coco Gauff were “completely unprofessional” and confessed that she regretted her words.
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Sabalenka also addressed all the hate she received for having a human moment and "losing control" of her emotions after the difficult defeat.
"That was just completely unprofessional of me. I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then. 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. The difference with me is, the world is watching. I get a lot more hate for what I did than other people," Sabalenka said.
Aryna Sabalenka shared her thoughts on the controversy ahead of her campaign at the Berlin Tennis Open. The Belarusian is set to kick off her grass season at the WTA 500 event.
"I was super emotional and not very smart" - Aryna Sabalenka on her reaction to French Open loss to Coco Gauff
In the same interview, Aryna Sabalenka admitted she was overly emotional in her French Open press conference after losing to Coco Gauff.
"I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference. It took me a while to revisit it, to approach it with open eyes, and to understand. I realised a lot about myself. Why did I lose so many finals? I kept getting so emotional," Sabalenka said.
Despite all the backlash, Sabalenka treated the controversy as a learning experience and said that it taught her the importance of treating her opponents with respect.
"So I learned a lot. Above all, one thing: I’m the one who always treats my opponents with great respect - whether I win or lose. Without that respect, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So it was a tough but very instructive lesson for me," she added.
On the tennis front, Aryna Sabalenka will lock horns with Rebeka Masarova in her opening match at the Berlin Tennis Open following a first-round bye. Coco Gauff will take on the winner of the match between Daria Kasatkina and Wang Xinyu in the second round.
