Coco Gauff said Aryna Sabalenka’s suggestion that she would have lost the French Open final to Iga Swiatek was not “fair” after the American won her first Roland Garros title by beating the World No 1.
In difficult, windy conditions, Gauff fought from a set down to Defeath 6-7 6-4 and win her second grand slam title on the Paris clay. However, a disgruntled Sabalenka criticised her own performance, in which she made 70 unforced errors, and said “it was the worst final I have ever played”.
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Sabalenka had defeated Swiatek in the semi-finalsto end the Pole’s 26-match winning run at Roland Garros, but could not get the job done as she lost to Gauff for her second grand slam final defeat in a row.
Sabalenka has now lost two grand slam finals to Gauff after the 2023 US Open (Getty Images)
“That hurts,” Sabalenka said. “Especially when you’ve been playing really great tennis during the whole week, when you’ve been playing against a lot of tough opponents, Olympic champion [Qinwen Zheng]Iga and then you go out, and you play really bad.
“Like I think Iga… I think she would go out today and she would get the win. It just hurts. Honestly hurts. I’ve been playing really well, and then in the last match, go out there and perform like I did, that’s hurt.”
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To add to an extraordinary press conference, Sabalenka added: “She was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow magically the ball lands in the court. It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was there laughing, like, ‘let’s see if you can handle this’.”
Sabalenka also said: “I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes.”
Sabalenka after defeat to Coco Gauff in the final (AP)
Gauff said that while she respected both Sabalenka and Swiatek, she could not agree with Sabalenka’s assessment and said that she did a better job of dealing with the conditions.
“I mean, I don’t agree with that,” Gauff replied as she appeared at her press conference next to the French Open trophy. “I’m here sitting here [as the champion].
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“No shade to Iga or anything, but last time I played her I won in straight sets. I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen.
“The way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favourite to win. So I think she was the best person that I could have played in the final.
“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.”
Gauff kisses the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, her second grand slam singles title (Getty Images)
Gauff explained how she adjusted her game and handled the conditions to add to her 2023 US Open triumph, which also came against Sabalenka.
“It was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed,” Gauff said. “I was, like, ‘this is going to be a tough day’.
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“I knew it was just going to be about willpower and mental. It really came down to the last few points, but overall I’m just really happy with the fight that I managed today. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, and that’s all that matters.”
Sabalenka, who also suffered a painful defeat to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final in January, said she had no plans to re-watch the final and will be going on holiday to Greece for “tequila, gummy bears and swimming”.
“No, no, I already have a flight booked to Mykonos and alcohol, sugar,” Sabalenka said. “I just need couple of days to completely forget about this crazy world and this crazy – if I could swear, I would swear right now – but this crazy thing that happened today.
“I think everyone understands. I’m just trying to be very polite right now, but you know, there is no other word, that could describe what just happened today on the court. But yeah, tequila, gummy bears, and I don’t know, swimming, being like the tourist for couple of days.”
