PARIS — As Coco Gauff reveled in her victory on the iconic Court Philippe-Chatrier, snapping selfies to commemorate her win on the famed Parisian clay, her opponent across the court was engulfed in a mix of frustration and sorrow.
With officials readying the court for the trophy presentation, Aryna Sabalenka sat, her gaze fixed on the horizon, before she buried her face in a towel. When it was her turn to speak to the Roland-Garros audience, a heavy silence enveloped her, as if she were on the brink of tears.
When she finally mustered the courage to speak, her self-critique was strikingly candid.
“To be honest, this loss stings deeply,” she stated. “Playing so poorly in the final is truly disheartening.”
The world’s top-ranked player had initially seized the first set with her aggressive style proving fruitful. However, as Gauff settled into her game, the errors from the Belarusian became alarmingly frequent, culminating in a match loss of 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 against the two best players in the world.
Despite audaciously hitting 37 winners, Sabalenka concluded the match with a staggering 70 unforced errors, compared to Gauff’s 30. She also experienced a staggering nine service breaks.
“I think my emotions got the best of me,” she reflected. “I struggled to maintain my composure mentally. Ultimately, that translated into a string of unforced errors. Gauff didn’t win because she was spectacular; rather, my mistakes made the difference — especially on seemingly straightforward shots.”
This disappointment was compounded by the fact that Sabalenka had diligently adjusted her game to suit the slower surface over the years and had recently ended Iga Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at the French Open in the semifinals.
“I’ve faced so many tough opponents, including Olympic champion Iga, and to come out and play like this… it was genuinely the worst tennis I’ve played in a long time,” she lamented during her post-match interview.
Sabalenka also voiced her frustration with the weather. The retractable roof over center court was open, and she was visibly irritated by the gusts of wind that swept across the playing surface.
“The conditions were challenging,” the three-time major winner noted. “When she struck the ball, the wind would send it sailing unpredictably, and I found myself reacting late every time.”
This marked the second major final Sabalenka lost to Gauff, following the 2023 U.S. Open, where she similarly claimed the first set. Having previously triumphed over Gauff on clay in Madrid earlier this year, Sabalenka felt equipped to win on this prominent stage.
“Facing Coco in another Grand Slam final is tough,” Sabalenka admitted. “It’s frustrating to perform so poorly against her once again. I must take a step back, analyze the situation, and learn from my mistakes. I can’t keep entering Grand Slam finals against her and yield such disappointing performances while handing over my victories — not easily, but emotionally.”
