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Coco Gauff Responds After Sabalenka Clarifies Outburst

Coco Gauff Responds After Sabalenka Clarifies Outburst

Coco Gauff's historic victory at the French Open 2025 was momentarily clouded by post-match controversy, as Aryna Sabalenka’s emotional reaction drew widespread criticism. Following her three-set loss in the final (7-6, 2-6, 4-6), Sabalenka suggested her defeat was more due to her own unforced errors than Gauff's performance. The top-seeded Belarusian made over 70 unforced errors during the match and admitted that she struggled mentally and emotionally on court.

Facing backlash, Sabalenka took to Instagram to clarify her remarks. She apologized to Gauff and acknowledged the American's composure and dominance, particularly in the latter sets. “Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win. She was the better player yesterday... both things can be true: I didn’t play my best, and Coco stepped up,” she wrote.

Sabalenka also addressed her earlier claim that Iga Swiatek would have won the final had she advanced instead, which many viewed as disrespectful toward Gauff. Her initial comments were seen by fans as belittling the 20-year-old’s achievement, igniting debate on social media.

Coco Gauff did not remain silent. In her post-match press conference, the newly crowned Roland Garros champion pushed back against the notion that she won only because Sabalenka faltered. “I don’t agree with that. No shade to Iga or anything, but I played her and I won in straight sets,” Gauff responded. She added that given Sabalenka's dominant form, facing her in the final was actually the toughest matchup possible. “Regardless of who I played, I think I had a good shot to win and I definitely had that belief.”

The French Open 2025 marked Gauff’s first Grand Slam title on clay and solidified her position as a rising force in women’s tennis. Despite the post-match drama, both athletes eventually showed mutual respect, highlighting the emotional toll and intense competition that comes with Grand Slam finals.

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