American tennis star Coco Gauff is still basking in her incredible French Open final win over Aryna Sabalenka. The win was Gauff’s second career Grand Slam win, coming nearly two years after she won the 2023 U.S. Open. As she’s always done, the 21-year-old Gauff showed the sportsmanship and class that’s long been associated with her in winning and in defeat.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the aforementioned Sabalenka, who in her post-match presser gave some pretty condescending remarks while insinuating that Gauff didn’t beat her, but Sabalenka instead beat herself. The remarks were baseless and definitely drew the attention of Gauff.
Gauff Comes Out Firing
In the aftermath of hearing Sabalenka say she only lost because she played her worst match of the year, and that if Iga Swiatek, the four-time French Open champion, had beaten her in the semifinals that she likely would’ve also beaten Gauff.
“I mean, I don’t agree with that,” she replied, sitting beside her French Open trophy. “I’m here sitting here [as the champion]. No shade to Iga or anything, but last time I played her I won in straight sets. I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen.”
She added: “The way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favorite to win. So I think she was the best person that I could have played in the final. Her being No. 1 in the world was the best person to play, so I think I got the hardest matchup just if you go off stats alone.”
The new Roland Garros champion even mentioned her 2022 loss here to the aforementioned Swiatek in straight sets and she explained how she’s a different player and person now.
”I was going through a lot of things when I lost here three years ago,” Gauff said after her victory on Saturday. “I’m just glad to be back here. I was going through a lot of dark thoughts. Three finals … I guess I got the most important win. That’s all that matters.”
Gauff First American To Win French Open In 10 Years
Not since 2015, when 23-time Grand Slam winner and arguably the greatest tennis player we’ve ever seen, man or women, Serena Williams hoisted The Suzanne Lenglen Cup has an American won at Roland Garros. So, in essence, Gauff made history and it doesn’t hurt that she’s a Black woman just like Williams is.
Gauff also became the first woman to win her first two Grand Slam titles after losing the first set in both finals.
