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United States’ Coco Gauff embraces Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka after winning the women’s singles final in the French Open at Roland Garros, Paris, France on June 7, 2025.
Wimbledon top seed Aryna Sabalenka says she has cleared the air with Coco Gauff after she raised eyebrows with her remarks in the aftermath of her French Open final loss to the American.
An emotional Sabalenka described the match as the “worst tennis” she had played for many months and that her mistakes, rather than Gauff’s excellence, had been the decisive factor.
Sabalenka wrote to Gauff to apologise soon after, labelling her remarks “unprofessional” and the two rivals were seen chatting happily on the Wimbledon practice courts this week.
“We’ve always been really good with Coco. Honestly, as I said in the statement and I messaged to her, I didn’t really want to offend her,” the 27-year-old Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title, told reporters.
“I was just completely, like, upset with myself, and emotions got over me. I just completely lost it.
“Of course, she’s got my respect. She knew it. She knows it. I’m happy that she was, like, ‘yeah, it’s all good, don’t worry.’ I was talking, we are good, we are friends. I hope the US media can be easy on me right now.
“I did what I did. I get what I deserved, I believe. It was a tough time for me,” she added, saying she has immersed herself in reading books to take her mind off her Paris heartache.
Gauff won that error-strewn French final 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 and is seeded two at Wimbledon and the likelihood is that their compelling rivalry could continue in the final in a fortnight.
