Aryna Sabalenka is walking back her comments after losing to Coco Gauff in the French Open.
The world No. 1, who battled windy conditions and a light mist in the final against the 21-year-old American, initially told reporters that Gauff “won the match not because she played incredible” but because “I made all of those mistakes.”
After a day of reflection and amid backlash from her statement, the Belarusian player offered a different stance following her 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 loss.
“Yesterday was a tough one. Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win,” Sabalenka, 27, wrote on Instagram.
“She was the better player yesterday, and I want to give her the credit she earned. You all know me… I’m always going to be honest and human in how I process these moments. I made over 70 unforced errors, so I can’t pretend it was a great day for me.”
Sabalenka continued, “But both things can be true… I didn’t play my best, and Coco stepped up and played with poise and purpose. She earned that title. Respect. Time to rest, learn, and come back stronger.”
After the three-set loss to Gauff, Sabalenka stated, “I think she won the match not because she played incredible. Just because I made all of those mistakes.”
