On Saturday afternoon, tennis fans watched 21-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff beat No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, to win the French Open.
Huge congrats to tennis star Coco Gauff.
— First and Pen (@firstandpen) June 7, 2025
Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to win the French Open. It's Gauff's first French Open title and her second career Grand Slam title. She's the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015. 🎾👏🏾👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/rJ6CM5I4WM
It was Gauff’s second career Grand Slam victory and the first French Open title won by an American since Serena Williams did it in 2015.
Watching Gauff celebrate the victory with her family was a joyous moment. Even the ball crew was ecstatic when she came out to thank them and take a group photo with them.
But then in the post-match press conference, her defeated opponent wasn’t interested in celebrating the new champion.
“I think it was more windy. Also I think I was over emotional,” Sabalenka said. “Today I didn’t handle myself quite well mentally. Basically that’s it. I was just making unforced errors. I don’t know. I have to check the statistics. I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes.”
She even tried to downplay Gauff’s victory by giving credit to Iga Swiatek, who Sabalenka beat in the semifinals.
“If Iga had beaten me the other day, I think she’d come out today and get the win,” said Sabalenka.
This was an about-face from the on-court remarks given immediately after the match, where both had nothing but respect and congratulations for each other.
“Coco, congrats,” said an emotional Sabalenka. “In these tough conditions you were a better player than me. Well done on a great two weeks. Congrats on the second Grand Slam, well deserved here. You’re a fighter, hard worker, so congrats to you and your team.”
Apparently, the pain of losing reared its sore head.
Aryna blamed the weather for her 70 unforced errors. Yet Gauff played in the same conditions and only committed 30.
Then she threw shade by bringing up an opponent, Swiatek, who Gauff beat 6-1, 6-1 the last time they played.
Yet it’s not like Gauff, the No. 2-ranked player, was some scrub who pulled off a stunning upset.
In their head-to-head matchups, Gauff and Sabalenka were tied 5-5. And in their head-to-head Grand Slam Finals contests, they each won one; Gauff the 2023 US Open and Sabalenka the 2024 Australian Open.
Her change in attitude was ripped by fans and the media and addressed by Coco.
“I mean, I don’t agree with that,” she said. “I’m here sitting here [as the champion].”
“The way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favorite to win. So I think she was the best person that I could have played in the final,” said Gauff. “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.”
After being criticized, Sabalenka issued a statement to clarify her comments.
