Aryna Sabalenka has stated that she regrets her controversial comments after losing the Roland Garros final to Coco Gauff. The world No. 1 admitted that her remarks in the press conference were "completely unprofessional," and also acknowledged sending a message to her rival to apologize.
Just over a week ago, Sabalenka lost the French Open final after being a set up, with a score of 7-6(5), 2-6, 4-6. The Belarusian lost a Grand Slam final to Gauff for the second time (US Open 2023), and on both occasions, she had a one-set advantage.
After the match, Sabalenka spoke at Roland Garros about the defeat she had suffered, where she was asked to explain the reasons for her loss. "I think she won the match not because she played incredible, but because I made all those mistakes," Sabalenka said, calling it the worst final she had played. "If Iga (Swiatek) had beaten me the other day (in semis), I think she would come out today and gotten the win. It just hurts."
Sabalenka's comments received criticism for being interpreted as downplaying Gauff's performance. The American herself considered her rival's words unfortunate, though she didn't want to give them too much importance. "I played her and I won in straight sets. I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say," she commented afterward.
As the Berlin Ladies Open begins – with its first round kicking off this Monday, June 16 – Sabalenka gave an interview with TNT Sports, where one of the topics she touched upon was her controversial statements. "That was just completely unprofessional of me. I let my emotions get the better of me," Sabalenka stated. "I absolutely regret what I said back then. You know, we all make mistakes. I’m just a human being who’s still learning in life."
"I think we all have those days when we lose control. The difference with me is, the world is watching. I get a lot more hate for what I did than other people. I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference," Sabalenka added. "It took me a while to revisit it, to approach it with open eyes, and to understand. I realized a lot about myself. Why did I lose so many finals? I kept getting so emotional."
"So I learned a lot. Above all, one thing: I’m the one who always treats my opponents with great respect - whether I win or lose. Without that respect, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So it was a tough but very instructive lesson for me."
"We all have the same goal: to win the tournament," she said. "I’ve built a lot of self-confidence over the years, but at the same time, I’ve realized it has nothing to do with self-confidence. It’s about how willing you are to go out on the court and compete, even when things aren’t going so well. It’s about how willing you are to go out there and fight for what you want."
