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Aryna Sabalenka delivers final word on her comments about Coco Gauff after the French Open final, ‘I completely lost it’

Aryna Sabalenka plays at the 2025 French Open, inset Coco Gauff plays at the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open
Credit: Frey/TPN/Robert Prange via Getty Images
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Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have become the talk of the WTA Tour for more reasons than one this season.

Sabalenka enters Wimbledon sitting top of the WTA rankings, with Gauff following her rival in second place.

But it was the American who won their most recent battle in the French Open final, after which Sabalenka was criticised for her comments about the poor conditions in Paris.

Moreover, Sabalenka said Iga Swiatek would have beaten Gauff if that pair had instead played out the final in Paris.

Sabalenka apologised to Gauff, and the pair have since reunited on court for a practice match ahead of Wimbledon.

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff shaking hands after a practice match ahead of Wimbledon in 2025.
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Aryna Sabalenka issues final word on Coco Gauff comments after French Open final

The world number one has now shared an update on their current standing, providing details in her opening press conference in London.

“It’s been really good with Coco and honestly, as I said, in the statement and I messaged to her, I didn’t really want to offend her,” said Sabalenka. “I was just completely upset with myself, and emotions got over me, and I just completely lost it.

READ MORE: Andy Roddick makes bold prediction about how far Coco Gauff will go at Wimbledon after ‘brutal’ draw is made

“And I wanted to say it in person to her, but I wasn’t sure if she was going to come to Berlin, so I had to message her to apologise and make sure she understood that I didn’t want to offend.

“And of course, she got my respect. She knew it, she knows it, and I’m happy that she was like, ‘Yeah, it’s all good. Don’t worry’.

“And yeah, as you saw the video I was talking, we were good, we are friends, so I hope the US media can be easy on me right now.”

Aryna Sabalenka says what she has learned from her French Open final comments about Coco Gauff

The pair are certainly in very different spirits to that Roland Garros final at this moment in time, having danced together on social media at SW19.

Sabalenka is seemingly over the defeat, while Gauff will still be on a high from that performance and from her second career Grand Slam success.

READ MORE: What happened in Coco Gauff’s practice match with Aryna Sabalenka on Centre Court ahead of Wimbledon

She now has a 2-1 win-loss record at Grand Slam finals, with the Belarusian having won three and lost three.

The latter also shared her emotional journey following her latest such defeat, having been asked if it was difficult getting the attention for her comments on Gauff in the aftermath of the loss.

ResultYearTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win2023Australian OpenHardElena Rybakina4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss2023US OpenHardCoco Gauff6–2, 3–6, 2–6
Win2024Australian OpenHardZheng Qinwen6–3, 6–2
Win2024US OpenHardJessica Pegula7–5, 7–5
Loss2025Australian OpenHardMadison Keys3–6, 6–2, 5–7
Loss2025French OpenClayCoco Gauff7–6(7–5), 2–6, 4–6
Win2025US OpenHardAmanda Anisimova6–3, 7–6(7–3)
Loss2026Australian OpenHardElena Rybakina4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Aryna Sabalenka Grand Slam finals

Sabalenka responded: “I mean… I did what I did, and I get what I deserve, I believe, and it was a tough time for me.

“I’m glad I had a book and Mykonos so I could just get distracted by reading books, so yeah, I got back to reading. So the lesson is learned and definitely not going to happen again.”