Aryna Sabalenka apologizes to Coco Gauff for French Open remarks

Aryna Sabalenka said she apologized to Coco Gauff for her "unprofessional" comments following her loss in the final of the French Open.

Sabalenka, ranked No. 1 in the world, told reporters during her post-match news conference in Paris on June 7 that her mistakes -- rather than Gauff's play -- were the primary reasons for her 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 defeat.

"I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then," the 27-year-old Belarusian star said, per Eurosport Germany. "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. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward -- not immediately, but recently."

Sabalenka said she wrote to Gauff to "make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her."

"I never intended to attack her," Sabalenka said. "I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference. I'm not necessarily grateful for what I did. It took me a while to go back and think about it, to approach it with open eyes, and to understand. I realized a lot about myself."

Gauff, 21, needed two hours and 38 minutes to win her second Grand Slam title. She won the U.S. Open in 2023, also coming from a set down to beat Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Sabalenka won just 48 percent of first-serve points on her powerful serve, with Gauff winning 60 percent.

Gauff finished with 30 winners and 30 unforced errors, with Sabalenka totaling 37 and 70, respectively.

--Field Level Media