Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, has shifted attention from her controversial comments following the 2025 French Open final loss to Coco Gauff by confirming her participation in the Berlin Open, starting June 16, 2025. After a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Gauff on June 7, Sabalenka initially sparked backlash by downplaying Gauff’s win, citing “terrible conditions” and her own “worst tennis” with 70 unforced errors, per The Athletic. She later clarified on X, stating, “I made over 70 unforced errors, so I can’t pretend it was a great day for me. But… Coco stepped up and played with poise,” aiming to give Gauff credit, per @SabalenkaA. Sabalenka’s latest update centers on her grass-court campaign, where she aims to leverage her powerful game ahead of Wimbledon.
Berlin Open and Grass Season Outlook
Sabalenka, who reached the Berlin Open semi-finals in 2021, faces a yet-to-be-confirmed second-round opponent on June 18, per AiScore. The WTA 500 event marks her first competitive outing since Roland Garros, with a favorable draw alongside Gauff, per @tennis365com. Her 2024 grass season included a Wimbledon semi-final, and with 20 singles titles, including three majors (2023 and 2024 Australian Open, 2024 US Open), Sabalenka is a strong contender, per WTA. X posts like @alkassenglish noted her retaining the top WTA ranking despite the French Open loss, reflecting her consistency, per [t.co/LzSxBG15sI].
Moving Beyond the Controversy
Sabalenka’s initial post-final remarks, where she suggested Iga Swiatek might have beaten Gauff, drew criticism, with Gauff responding, “I was surprised… we both faced the same conditions,” per ESPN. Sabalenka’s follow-up statement quelled the controversy, earning praise from fans on X, like @godzchild2, who noted her maturity, per [t.co/9d5IwPNSQx]. Her focus on Berlin signals a reset, aligning with her history of rebounding, as seen after a 2024 Australian Open final loss to Madison Keys, per Daily Mail.
