Coco Gauff’s victory on the iconic clay courts of Roland-Garros was marked by joy and celebration, starkly contrasting with the disappointment experienced by her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka. While Gauff revelled in her triumph, Sabalenka sat in silence, visibly upset, covering her face with a towel as the court was prepared for the trophy presentation.
When the moment arrived for her to address the audience, Sabalenka took a long pause, struggling with her emotions before admitting, “Honestly guys, this one hurts so much. To show such terrible tennis in the final does really hurt.” Despite winning the first set, Sabalenka faltered as Gauff found her rhythm, ultimately losing the match 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4. The match statistics reflected her struggles, with Sabalenka hitting 37 winners but amassing an astonishing 70 unforced errors, compared to Gauff’s 30.
Post-match, Sabalenka recognised her emotional turmoil, stating, “I think I was overemotional,” and acknowledged that her mental state contributed to her performance issues. She lamented, “I was just making unforced errors,” attributing Gauff’s victory more to her mistakes than Gauff’s exceptional play.
The loss was particularly bitter for Sabalenka, who had spent years honing her game for the slow conditions of Roland-Garros and had recently defeated Iga Swiatek, ending her formidable 26-match winning streak. Reflecting on her disappointing performance, she remarked on the frustration of performing poorly against strong opponents: “You’ve been playing against a lot of tough opponents, Olympic champion, Iga, and then you go out, and you play really bad.”
Weather conditions added to Sabalenka’s frustration during the final, where gusty winds and an open roof caused difficulties. “Conditions were terrible,” she noted, highlighting how they affected her timing and play.
This defeat marks the second major final Sabalenka has lost to Gauff, following their previous encounter at the 2023 U.S. Open where she also failed to capitalise on an early lead. Despite winning their recent clash in Madrid, Sabalenka’s analysis post-match suggested a need for reflection and adjustment. “Another terrible performance from me against Coco in the final,” she remarked, indicating her determination to learn from these experiences and improve.
In sum, the final encapsulated the contrasting emotions of triumph and despair, with Gauff celebrating her maiden Grand Slam title while Sabalenka faced the harsh reality of unmet expectations and the need for mental fortitude in future encounters.