Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have forged a fierce rivalry, often clashing in the high-stakes rounds of major tournaments. Their unforgettable US Open final in 2023 still lingers in memory! Coco, just 19, stunned the tennis world with a breathtaking comeback after dropping the first set 6-2 to a red-hot Sabalenka. She roared back to win 6-3, 6-2, as Sabalenka crumbled under pressure. But two years later, in Madrid, the script flipped. This time, Gauff who couldn’t summon the grit when it mattered most. Still, Sabalenka, showed true sportsmanship, acknowledging Gauff’s fire and resilience, especially after a shaky start to the year. Curious what she said?
Coco Gauff has faced a turbulent 2025 season so far. After falling in the AO quarterfinals to Paula Badosa, she struggled to find her footing, suffering early exits during the Middle East swing. Though signs of a comeback emerged with back-to-back R16 finishes in Indian Wells and Miami, consistency remained elusive! A QF showing in Germany offered some spark, with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win over Ella Seidel, though she fell in straight sets in the following round.
However, Gauff’s performance at the Madrid Open stands as one of her season’s brightest chapters. Despite finishing 2024 as the WTA Finals champion, 2025 hadn’t delivered the momentum she hoped for, until now. But in Madrid, Gauff lived up to her billing, even though she couldn’t win the title. As she bowed out in the final, her opponent, the WTA top seed Aryna Sabalenka, shared a heartfelt confession, admiring Coco’s renewed rhythm and fight on court.
While talking in the post match interview with Tennis Channel, Sabalenka said, “Honestly I just love great battles and when I seem my opponent playing their best tennis it’s always brings it to another level and I enjoyed even more and I saw she was struggling a little in the beginning of the year, and I’m happy she made it to the finals and is finding her rhythm.”
“I saw she was struggling a little in the beginning of the year, and I’m happy she made it to the finals and is finding her rhythm”
After winning the #MMOpen, Aryna Sabalenka says she’s happy to see Coco Gauff returning to top form. pic.twitter.com/idJEVqwn9f
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) May 3, 2025
Furthermore, she stressed the significance of their rivalry on the court in creating thrilling matches for the spectators. “We always had like really good battles in the past and even though I lost some of them, it was great battles anyways, it was always great for me to play, for people to watch and today I’m just super happy to get this win,” she added.
With her triumph in Madrid, Aryna Sabalenka celebrates a landmark 20th Hologic WTA Tour singles title. The Belarusian now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Petra Kvitova for the most Mutua Madrid Open titles in women’s singles history, both with three apiece.
Remarkably, Sabalenka has continued her streak of winning Madrid in every odd-numbered year this decade, having defeated then-top seed Ashleigh Barty in 2021 and Iga Swiatek in 2023. Though she narrowly missed out in last year’s thriller against Swiatek, this victory solidifies her legacy.
On the other side of the story, while Sabalenka reflected on her milestone, Coco Gauff also spoke following the loss. Although deeply disappointed, she displayed composure and grace.
After the heartbreak, Coco Gauff finds strength in her faith in Jesus Christ
In a high-stakes showdown at La Caja Mágica, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka showcased her championship mettle, winning 17 consecutive points early in the match and eventually sealing a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) victory over the American Coco Gauff. The Belarusian opened the match with absolute dominance, winning four straight games without dropping a point to take a 4-1 lead in the first set. Although Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, managed to claw back with a break to narrow it to 4-2, Sabalenka quickly regained control to close out the set.
In the second set, Gauff found her rhythm and broke early to lead 2-1. She looked poised to force a decider, even serving for the set at 5-4. But Sabalenka’s resilience proved too much, as she fended off a set point and converted her fifth break opportunity to level things at 5-5. After a tense tie-break, Sabalenka clinched the match.
Gauff, gracious in defeat, later reflected on the loss. “I’d like to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ to be here and the opportunity to play in the final. I’d like to congratulate Aryna on an incredible tournament. You’re always tough to face. Congrats to your team. The last… well, you’re always doing well… but the last 4 straight finals I think. Congrats on all the success you’ve been having,” Coco said after the match.
With Rome up next and Roland Garros on the horizon, could Coco Gauff’s deep run in Madrid signal a breakthrough? What do you think?
The post Nothing but Love for Coco Gauff as Aryna Sabalenka Sends a Heartfelt Message Following a Tough Madrid Open Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.
