Madison Keys recently weighed in on the controversy surrounding Aryna Sabalenka’s harsh comments against Coco Gauff at Roland Garros. After Keys’ victory over Diana Shnaider to secure a position in the semifinals at the HSBC Championships, the American mentioned how people sometimes say things they wish they could take back.
Besides expressing her thoughts, she made it clear that she thinks Gauff doesn’t care about Sabalenka’s controversial words.
Madison Keys Reacts to the Controversial Statement From Sabalenka to Gauff
Aryna Sabalenka lost the French Open final to Coco Gauff 7‑6(5), 2‑6, 4‑6 in a game that saw the World No. 1 make 70 unforced errors. During the post-match press conference, the Belarusian called it “the worst final I ever played,” saying Gauff “won not because she played incredible, just because I made all those mistakes.”
The statement sparked backlash from fans as it seemingly downplayed Gauff’s commendable performance at Roland Garros. When asked if she would have cared about Sabalenka’s words, Keys was quick enough to shake her head in denial. Further offering her take on the situation, she said:
“To be honest, I don’t think I really care. Especially if I have won, doesn’t really matter what they say or think (smiling). I mean, it’s tough. It’s emotional, and I think sometimes emotions get the best of people. Things just kind of come out and you don’t necessarily mean them fully.”
Madison Keys gives her take on Aryna Sabalenka’s comments after the Belarusian lost the Roland Garros final to Coco Gauff 🇫🇷 …
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The 2025 Australian Open champion further tried to understand the Belarusian player’s mindset while extending the statement.
“Then there is other times where, you know, you feel very disappointed in yourself because you didn’t play to the level that you expect yourself to. I think sometimes those are kind of hard moments to navigate, and especially if there is a microphone in front of you. I think sometimes we say things that we wish we could take back,” she added.
However, the controversy eventually came to an end after Sabalenka took to social media to clarify her take, along with praising Gauff.
Naomi Osaka’s Coach Mentions How Gauff Was Much Better Than Sabalenka at the Roland Garros Final
Amid the ongoing controversy, renowned mentor Patrick Mouratoglou stepped forward to offer his analysis of the final match. According to the Frenchman, Gauff’s ability to handle pressure as compared to Sabalenka was much better. He shared a video on Instagram to publicly offer the statement.
“You don’t win a final of a Grand Slam with your technique. You win it with your mind and your heart. Coco was superior in both. When she (Sabalenka) makes those comments, it means that she’s trying to deny the mental aspects of the game. Coco stayed composed during the match; she was ready to fight whenever there was a little opening…Coco was ten times better than Sabalenka at dealing with her emotions,” he said.
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Mouratoglou was one of the first ones to congratulate Gauff on her commendable achievement. He shared pictures on Instagram, reminiscing about the time when Gauff trained under him at the Patrick Mouratoglou academy.