Coco Gauff delivered a strong rebuttal to Aryna Sabalenka following the Belarusian’s remarks about her and Iga Świątek after losing the 2025 French Open final. This defeat marked Sabalenka’s sixth loss to Gauff in their 11 encounters on the WTA Tour and her second defeat to the American in a Grand Slam singles final, having previously lost to her in the summit clash of the 2023 US Open.
In the aftermath of her the loss, Sabalenka appeared to downplay the significance of the World No. 2’s victory, suggesting that Świątek would have triumphed in the final had she advanced. “I think if Iga would win [against] me, [the] other day, I think she would go out today and she would get the win,” Sabalenka said.
Coco Gauff Makes Feelings Known After Aryna Sabalenka’s Remarks on Her and Iga Świątek
Gauff, who was seeded second at the 2025 French Open, secured her place in the final by defeating the likes of Olivia Gadecki, qualifier Tereza Valentová, Marie Bouzková, 20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, seventh seed and fellow American Madison Keys, and Wild Card Loïs Boisson.
In the championship match against Sabalenka, Gauff staged a comeback after losing the first set, ultimately winning the match 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in two hours and 38 minutes, thereby lifting the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup.
During the post-match press conference, Gauff was asked about Sabalenka’s statements regarding her and Świątek. In her response, the World No. 2 expressed disagreement with the Belarusian’s assertion that Świątek could have defeated the American, pointing out that she had most recently beaten the Pole in straight sets in the semifinals of the 2025 Madrid Open.
“I don’t agree with that,” Gauff said. “I mean, I am here sitting. No shade to Iga or anything, but I played her and I won in straight sets. So yeah, I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say because anything can really happen.”
Gauff acknowledged that Sabalenka was considered the favorite to win the Grand Slam, thanks to her impressive performances leading up to the tournament. She mentioned that she faced the hardest match-up in the final, as Sabalenka is ranked No. 1 in the WTA world rankings.
“Honestly, I mean the way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favorite to win,” the 2025 French Open champion said. “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.”.
The World No. 2 also reflected on the hypothetical situation of facing Świątek instead of Sabalenka in the final, stating that it would have been a challenging match regardless, given that the Pole has claimed the French Open title four times in her career.
“Obviously, Iga being a champion here, it was going to be a tough match either way,” Gauff told the media on Saturday. “But yeah, I think regardless of who I played, I think I had a good shot to win, and I definitely had that belief,” she added.
Gauff also expressed that she would have preferred to compete against Świątek in the final of the 2025 French Open. She cited Sabalenka’s remarkable string of performances leading up to the Major as the reason for her not wanting to face the Belarusian.
“If you ask me honestly, who I wanted to play, it was Iga,” the two-time Grand Slam champion said. “Just because I felt Aryna was playing so well, and she was. But Iga is a tough opponent, too. So honestly, neither of them would have been a better shot, but it played out how it played out, and that’s why I’m here today.”
‘I’m Just Really Happy With the Fight That I Managed’ – Coco Gauff After Winning French Open 2025
While speaking to the media following her win over Sabalenka in the 2025 French Open final, Gauff stated that she was “happy with the fight” she had put up against the Belarusian to get the win. Gauff said that the match “wasn’t pretty,” but she was happy that she was able to secure the win.
“It really came down to the last few points, but overall I’m just really happy with the fight that I managed today,” she said. “It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, and that’s all that matters.”
Looking ahead, both Gauff and Sabalenka are expected to kick off their grass-court seasons at the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open, scheduled to take place from June 16 to June 22, 2025. The matches will be held on the outdoor grass courts at the Rot-Weiss Tennis Club in Berlin, Germany.
