June 17 (UPI) — Top-ranked tennis star Aryna Sabalenka said she regrets slighting Coco Gauff after losing to her in the 2025 French Open final and wrote an apology letter to the American to address the issue.
Sabalenka spoke about the matter during an interview published Tuesday by Eurosport. The Belarusian led Gauff early on, but emotionally unraveled in the June 7 loss in Paris. She went on to complain about the wind and playing conditions.
Sabalenka — who totaled 70 unforced errors — told reporters that she didn’t think Gauff won the match “because she played incredible,” but because she made “all those mistakes.” She also said she thought that Iga Swiatek, who she beat in the semifinals, would have beaten Gauff.
“It was completely unprofessional of me,” Sabalenka told Eurosport. “I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said at the time. You know, we all make mistakes. I’m just a human being who is still learning in life.
“I think we all have those days when we lose control. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward — not immediately, but recently.”
Gauff, who captured her second Grand Slam singles crown, told reporters that she didn’t agree that Swiatek would have beaten her in the final. She later told other outlets that she was surprised by the comments, but would give the Belarusian “the benefit of the doubt.”
Sabalenka and Gauff top the WTA rankings. They will both play Round of 16 matchups at the German Open on Wednesday in Berlin. The grass-court tournament serves as a warmup for Wimbledon.
“I was a little bit surprised by the comments,” Gauff said on an ESPN broadcast. “But at the end of the day, what happened, happened. I won because I earned that win. We both had to play in the wind.
“We both had to play in those conditions. … The difference was I was able to recognize that and find a different way to try to win that match.”
