Aryna Sabalenka responds to Coco Gauff after 'rude' comments in French Open row
Aryna Sabalenka was criticised for appearing to play down the performance of her opponent after Coco Gauff came from behind to beat her in the final of the French Open
Aryna Sabalenka has rowed back from her controversial comments in the wake of her defeat by Coco Gauff in the final of the French Open. Gauff came from behind to triumph 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 on Saturday inside a windy Court Philippe Chatrier.
Sabalenka started the stronger player and took a lengthy opening set before her game unravelled. The world No.1 made 70 unforced errors as the wind and her own emotions undermined her efforts.
Gauff played much more solid tennis in the final two sets and was relentless in chasing every ball as she claimed her second Grand Slam title. While the two players shared a hug on court, there was some needle in the post-match press conferences.
Sabalenka appeared to try and downplay Gauff's performance, claiming the result was mainly down to her own 'terrible tennis'. She also claimed that if Iga Swiatek had reached the final and not her then the beaten semi-finalist would have overcome Gauff on the day.
The American fired back bluntly: "I mean, I don't agree with that." She then added pointedly: "I'm here sitting here." Former player Rennae Stubbs was among those to take exception to Sabalenka's reaction to defeat, labelling the Belarussian 'rude' on social media.
Sabalenka has tried to explain herself by writing on Instagram: "Yesterday was a tough one. Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win. She was the better player yesterday, and I want to give her the credit she earned.
"You all know me... I'm always going to be honest and human in how I process these moments. I made over 70 unforced errors, so I can't pretend it was a great day for me. But both things can be true... I didn't play my best, and Coco stepped up and played with poise and purpose. She earned that title. Respect. Time to rest, learn, and come back stronger."
Gauff handled things admirably in her own press conference, calmly explaining her own recent successes against Swiatek. 'Last time I played - no shade to Iga or anything, but I played her and I won in straight sets. Yeah, I don't think that's a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen,' the 21-year-old said.
"Yeah, honestly 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 match-up just if you go off stats alone."
Reacting to Sabalenka's comments, former Australian player Stubbs had written on X: 'Ugh....the tennis was not that bad. You made a bazillion unforced errors because you're playing against the fastest players in the world who is as gutsy as hell and had better composure then u!! But to say it was horrible.....ugh!!!! Damn that was rude. I said what I said.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
38 minutes ago
- BBC News
'How was your Sunday?' - reaction to 'King Carlos'
It was a final so engrossing that the Spanish national football team huddled around a mobile phone to watch before their Nations League meeting with Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner put on a performance for the ages as they battled over an epic five sets for the French Open into a corner after losing the opening two sets, defending champion Alcaraz came out swinging - and saved three championship points on the way - to win 4-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-2).Just two minutes before Spain kicked off their Nations League final against Portugal at 20:00 BST, their compatriot Alcaraz had defied the odds to complete his magnificent compatriots, who also went the distance before losing on penalties, watched at least some of his heroics as they took in their surroundings on the field at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Alcaraz could not resist posting an image of himself, external holding the Coupe des Mousquetaires, with the caption: "How was your Sunday?"And the 22-year-old received widespread praise for the manner in which he got over the line to land a fifth Grand Slam title, achieving that feat at the exact same age as his legendary compatriot Rafael Nadal - 22 years, one month and three Madrid, who Alcaraz supports, were among those to congratulate him, writing:, external "All madridistas are happy and proud of this brilliant success achieved by one of our own."Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos re-shared a photo, external of himself and Alcaraz from 2022 - captioned "The future. And me" - with a new message, simply reading: "Told you".The PGA Tour compared and even raised Alcaraz above one of the golfing greats - 15-time major winner Tiger Woods."Five majors by age 22. Not even Tiger Woods did that," the organisation posted, from the sporting world, Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey made sure to credit Italy's Sinner as well, external, writing: "Thank you Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for the absolute elite 'mano y mano' [hand and hand] competition. Wow." 'King Carlos the second' With an opening game lasting 12 minutes, it felt inevitable that the final between the two best players in the world would be a the end, Alcaraz and Sinner put everything on the line for five hours and 29 minutes - the longest French Open final in as the fifth set got under way at around 18:45 BST, British tennis player Naomi Broady had to make the executive call to alter her travel plans."I've just changed my Eurostar ticket because I think it is safe to say I'm not going to make the 9pm one," Broady said on BBC Radio 5 was worth it, with an emotional Broady saying afterwards she felt "so lucky that I got to be here to witness this"."It feels like this is absolutely going to be a historic moment of our sport," she British number one Greg Rusedski likened Alcaraz to Hungarian escapologist Harry Houdini, while on TNT Sports, commentator Nick Mullins crowned him "King Carlos the second - the red king in the longest Roland Garros final"."Carlos certainly didn't invent tennis, but he is perfecting it," former British player Mark Petchey added on TNT Sports. The most epic Grand Slam final ever? We've been treated to some incredible spectacles over the years, especially in the 'Big Three' era of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael who is still chasing a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title, is the only one left standing. The 38-year-old great lost in three sets to Sinner in the Paris future of men's tennis undoubtedly looks bright with Alcaraz and Sinner steering the where does their final rank in the all-time list?Tennis has seen some epic Grand Slam battles, including:Nadal v Federer - Wimbledon (2008)Nadal and Federer had to battle it out over four hours and 48 minutes (it was actually nearly seven hours due to rain delays). Nadal held off a thrilling fightback to win in five sets. Djokovic v Nadal - Australian Open (2012)Djokovic outlasted Nadal after five hours and 53 minutes to win his fifth Grand Slam title in a match that finished at 01:37 local v Djokovic - Wimbledon (2013) Andy Murray took three hours and nine minutes to see off Djokovic and ending Britain's 77-year wait for a men's Wimbledon champion. Federer v Djokovic - Wimbledon (2019)Djokovic saved two championship points in Wimbledon's longest singles final, which last four hours and 57 minutes, to beat Federer.
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Carlos Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner thriller joins list of classic men's finals
Carlos Alcaraz's epic five-set victory over world number one Jannik Sinner was the longest French Open final in history and will go down as a classic. Here, the PA news agency looks at five other memorable men's singles finals. Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal (Wimbledon final 2008) Nadal came out on top 6–4 6–4 6–7(5) 6–7(8) 9–7 as two tennis greats went head-to-head in a final lasting almost five hours. Spaniard Nadal stormed into a two-set lead but Federer battled back with two tie-break victories. Rain delays played a part in building tension for a deciding set which Nadal edged 9–7 to claim his maiden Wimbledon title. Bjorn Borg v John McEnroe – Wimbledon final 1980 One of the greatest? WATCH… Borg v McEnroe #Wimbledon final 1980… — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) November 7, 2014 Federer's clash with Nadal was championed as the greatest final since Borg beat McEnroe in 1980. In just under four hours, four-time champion Borg beat brash young New Yorker McEnroe 1-6 7-5 6-3 6-7 (16) 8-6. McEnroe would not go away, saving seven championship points during the match, but Borg eventually saw it through. Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal (Australian Open final 2012) Let's run it back to 2012, shall we? 🍿 @DjokerNole v @RafaelNadal extended highlights 👉 #AusOpen — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) May 31, 2022 Djokovic claimed his third Australian Open title with a 5–7 6–4 6–2 6–7 7–5 triumph over Nadal in the longest final of the Open era. The five-hour 53-minute contest between the two top-ranked players at the time, beat the record set in the 1988 US Open final. The final set saw the two deadlocked at 4-4 before a Djokovic break of serve allowed the match to conclude in the early hours in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer (Wimbledon final 2019) Federer was beaten in the last major final of his career as world number one Djokovic toppled the second seed 7-6 1-6 7-6 4-6 13-12 in another near five-hour affair. The Serbian eventually claimed the deciding set in what is the longest Wimbledon final in history. Andy Murray vs Roger Federer (London 2012 Olympics final) #OnThisDay 2012 @andy_murray won Gold at the London #Olympics! 🇬🇧🥇 📽️ via @TeamGB — LTA (@the_LTA) August 5, 2017 Andy Murray put his Wimbledon final defeat to Federer a month earlier behind him, gaining revenge with a 6–2 6–1 6–4 victory to claim Olympic Gold. A home crowd roared Murray on to Team GB's first medal in the event since 1908 in a contest which sticks in the memory for the emotion of Murray's display and undoubted quality as he got past the then world number one.
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Carlos Alcaraz ‘really happy' after battling Jannik Sinner for French Open glory
Carlos Alcaraz broke more new ground after coming from two sets down and saving three match points to overcome Jannik Sinner and defend his French Open title in the longest final in Roland Garros history. The Spaniard showed incredible reserves of energy and willpower to win a five-hour 29-minute marathon and deny world number one Sinner a third consecutive grand slam title. It was the first time in his career that Alcaraz had overturned a two-set deficit as he claimed his fifth major crown at exactly the same age as his idol Rafael Nadal did, aged 22 years, one month and three days old. Alcaraz has now won all five grand slam finals he has played – and this was the first to be played between two players born this century. Carlos Alcaraz won this final. #RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025 It was also the first grand slam final meeting of the two young superstars of men's tennis, the best players on the planet, who have now shared the last six major titles. And it is one that will go down as a cast-iron classic, a final for the ages, a high-quality, no-holds barred box office smash which finished 4-6 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-6 (3) 6-4 (10-2) to the man from Murcia. Alcaraz said: 'This one was the most exciting match that I've played so far, without a doubt. 'I think the match had everything, really good moments, really bad moments. I'm just really, really happy. I'm proud about how I deal with everything today. 'I mean, it wasn't easy. The first match that I came back from two sets to love down. I think it was in a better occasion to do it in the final of a grand slam.' Italian Sinner, on a 20-match winning streak at the slams, looked certain to add the French title to his US and Australian Open crowns when he forged two sets ahead. He had lost his previous four matches against Alcaraz – the most recent in the Rome final last month, his first tournament after serving a three-month doping ban. Some loose hitting from Alcaraz gave Sinner a break in the first game of the third, but perhaps being short of matches after his enforced absence was beginning to tell as last year's winner clawed back the deficit to force a fourth. HIStory. #RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025 That ended a run of 31 consecutive sets won by Sinner at grand slam tournaments, stretching back to the Australian Open fourth round. Alcaraz has wriggled out of some scrapes in big matches before, but none tighter than finding himself facing three championship points on his own serve. But he gathered himself on the baseline, took a deep breath, and served nervelessly, saving all three before breaking back to force a tie-break, and subsequently a decider. Sinner has never before won a match lasting longer than four hours – mainly because rarely has to – but he was guzzling the pickle juice at the changeover to try and find more energy. But Alcaraz, having clinched an early break, served for the set – only for Sinner to somehow chase down an outrageous drop shot to level a roller-coaster match again. A 10-point tie-break was needed to separate them, an early-evening shoot-out to decide the champion, and by now Alcaraz had his eye in. A glorious winner, a drop-shot and volley and some wayward swats from Sinner helped him race ahead and a final, spectacular forehand winner sealed an unbelievable victory. Sinner said: 'Of course, I'm happy to deliver this kind of level, and happy about the tournament still. But obviously, this one hurts. 'There's not so much to talk right now. But again, I'm happy how we are trying to improve every day and trying to put myself in these kind of positions. 'It's a very high-level match, that's for sure. So I'm happy to be part of this. But yeah, the final result hurts.'
