Aryna Sabalenka Faces Fierce Backlash Over Controversial Coco Gauff Comments After French Open 2025 Loss
Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, ignited a firestorm of criticism following her 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Coco Gauff in the French Open 2025 women’s final on June 7, with her post-match remarks drawing widespread condemnation. In her press conference, Sabalenka downplayed Gauff’s victory, attributing it to her own 70 unforced errors rather than Gauff’s skill, stating, “She won not because she played incredible, but because I made all those easy ball errors.” She further claimed Iga Swiatek would have beaten Gauff in a hypothetical final, per www.sportskeeda.com. These comments sparked outrage among fans, analysts, and tennis figures, overshadowing Gauff’s historic win as the first American woman to claim Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2015.
Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams’ former coach, slammed Sabalenka’s remarks on X, calling them “so bad” and arguing Gauff’s defensive play forced the errors, per www.express.co.uk. Andy Roddick, on his *Served* podcast, expressed disappointment, saying, “It felt like a personal shot at Coco, taking away her shine,” despite initially praising Sabalenka’s on-court demeanor, per www.essentiallysports.com. Chris Evert voiced shock, defending Gauff’s merit, per www.thetennisgazette.com. Fans on X were merciless, with @eaglelex_eth branding Sabalenka “classless” and @CocoGauffFC demanding an apology, per www.newsweek.com. The controversy escalated when *RHONY* star Ubah Hassan mocked Sabalenka’s appearance, commenting on Instagram, “Your lip filler got in the way of your vision,” prompting further debate about misogyny, per www.sportskeeda.com.
Sabalenka attempted damage control on June 8 via Instagram Stories, writing, “Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win… Respect,” per www.today.com. Gauff, 21, responded diplomatically on *Good Morning America*, saying, “I was surprised, but it was an emotional day… I’m just happy to be here with the trophy,” per www.sportskeeda.com. Despite the apology, the backlash persists, with posts on X like @TennisFanatic questioning Sabalenka’s sportsmanship, per @TennisFanatic. The controversy has cast a shadow over her 2025 season, despite her Australian Open and US Open 2024 titles, as she prepares for Wimbledon (June 30-July 13), per www.wtatennis.com.
