Novak Djokovic, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, weighed in on the controversy surrounding Aryna Sabalenka’s post-match comments after her loss to Coco Gauff in the 2025 French Open final, urging fans to consider the emotional context of her remarks. Speaking at a pre-tournament press conference at Wimbledon on June 28, 2025, Djokovic stated, “Look, we all at the end of the day are human beings that have difficult emotions… especially right after losing a big match, Grand Slam finals for example, as she did against Coco.” He emphasized that Sabalenka did not intend to disrespect Gauff, adding, “Maybe it came out in the wrong way but she didn’t mean to disrespect Coco”.
The controversy stemmed from Sabalenka’s remarks following her 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Gauff on June 7, 2025, at Roland Garros. In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka suggested that Gauff’s victory was due to her own 70 unforced errors rather than Gauff’s performance, stating, “I think she won the match not because she played incredible. Just because I made all of those mistakes”. She also claimed that Iga Swiatek, whom she defeated in the semi-finals, would have beaten Gauff in the final. These comments, reported by *The Guardian* and *Tennis.com*, drew widespread criticism for lacking sportsmanship, with fans and pundits, including Rennae Stubbs, calling them “unprofessional” and “disrespectful”.[]
Sabalenka later apologized, first via an Instagram story on June 8, 2025, writing, “Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win,” and later in a private message to Gauff, as confirmed in an interview with Eurosport Germany on June 17. She admitted, “That was just completely unprofessional of me. I let my emotions get the better of me”. Gauff, showing grace, gave Sabalenka the benefit of the doubt, telling *Good Morning America*, “I’m sure it was an emotional day, an emotional match”. The pair reconciled, evidenced by their joint TikTok dance on Wimbledon’s Centre Court on June 27, 2025, captioned by Gauff, “The olive branch was extended and accepted!”.
Djokovic, who practiced with Sabalenka that week, praised her character, noting their “long chat” where he offered advice on handling emotional setbacks. “Novak is the best… He will give his honest advice,” Sabalenka said, per *Sportstar*. Djokovic drew parallels to Jannik Sinner’s gracious response after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s final, highlighting the importance of respect in rivalry. As Sabalenka and Gauff prepare for Wimbledon—seeded No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and potentially meeting in the final—Djokovic’s intervention underscores the human side of elite competition, advocating for empathy over judgment in the heat of defeat.
