Coco Gauff Dismisses Sabalenka’s French Open Critique After Gritty Comeback Win
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 8
- 3 min read
Coco Gauff has responded to Aryna Sabalenka’s criticism following their dramatic French Open final, saying the Belarusian’s comments were not “fair” after Gauff overcame difficult conditions and a first-set deficit to claim her first Roland Garros title.
Gauff, 20, battled back to defeat Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 on the clay of Court Philippe-Chatrier, capturing her second Grand Slam title after her 2023 US Open victory. Despite the triumph, Sabalenka downplayed Gauff’s performance, calling her own display “the worst final I have ever played,” citing 70 unforced errors and suggesting that World No. 1 Iga Swiatek would have won if she had been in the final.
Sabalenka, who ended Swiatek’s 26-match unbeaten run at Roland Garros in the semi-finals, said the defeat stung deeply. “That hurts,” she said. “Especially when you've been playing really great tennis during the whole week, when you've been playing against a lot of tough opponents — Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng, Iga — and then you go out, and you play really bad.”
She added, “I think Iga would go out today and she would get the win. It just hurts. I've been playing really well, and then in the last match, go out there and perform like I did, that's hurt.”
Sabalenka also made unusual remarks about Gauff’s shot-making, saying, “She was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow magically the ball lands in the court. It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was there laughing, like, ‘Let’s see if you can handle this’.” She concluded, “I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes.”
Gauff, sitting next to the French Open trophy during her press conference, responded with measured defiance. “I don’t agree with that,” she said. “I’m here sitting here [as the champion]. No shade to Iga or anything, but last time I played her I won in straight sets. I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen.”
She acknowledged Sabalenka’s form and standing going into the match. “The way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favourite to win. So I think she was the best person that I could have played in the final. Her being No. 1 in the world was the best person to play, so I think I got the hardest matchup just if you go off stats alone.”
Gauff highlighted her ability to adapt to the blustery weather as a key factor in her victory. “It was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed,” she said. “I was like, ‘This is going to be a tough day.’ I knew it was just going to be about willpower and mental. It really came down to the last few points, but overall I’m just really happy with the fight that I managed today. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, and that’s all that matters.”
The final marked Sabalenka’s second straight Grand Slam final loss after falling to Madison Keys at the Australian Open in January. The Belarusian said she plans to take a break, revealing plans to unwind in Greece. “No, no, I already have a flight booked to Mykonos and alcohol, sugar,” she said. “I just need a couple of days to completely forget about this crazy world and this crazy—if I could swear, I would swear right now—but this crazy thing that happened today.”
Sabalenka added with a smile, “Tequila, gummy bears, and I don’t know, swimming, being like the tourist for couple of days.”
Gauff’s win solidifies her status as one of tennis’s brightest young stars, as she continues to rise through the rankings and collect major titles with determination and resilience.
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