'I want to give her the credit': Aryna Sabalenka issues clarification about controversial remarks after French Open final defeat

Aryna Sabalenka has issued a clarification regarding her comments following her defeat in the 2025 French Open final. The 27-year-old came under severe criticism for her comments following her defeat to Coco Gauff in the final of the second Grand Slam of the year on Saturday, with a score of 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.

“I have to say the first two weeks I played really tough matches, really incredible players. I definitely played a better level than in the final,” she said while talking to the media after the match. “It was honestly the worst tennis I’ve played in the last I don’t know how many months. Conditions were terrible. She was simply better in these conditions than me. I think it was the worst final I ever played.”

Those comments did not go down well with fans on social media, who accused the three-time Grand Slam winner of being arrogant for not giving credit to Gauff for the victory. Serena Williams' former coach, Rennae Stubbs, also criticised Sabalenka in a post on the social media platform X for making such comments. “ugh....the tennis was not that bad. You made a bazillion unforced errors because youre playing against the fastest players in the world who is as gutsy as hell and had better composure then u!! but to say it was horrible.....ugh!!!! Damn that was rude. I said what I said,” she wrote.

Sabalenka, in a post on her Instagram account on Sunday, provided clarification about the comment she made during the press conference after the final on Saturday. The Minsk-born admitted that she was the second-best on the day and stated that her point of view during the conversation was her being ‘honest’.

“Yesterday was a tough one,” she wrote. “Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win. 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. 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."