Remember that dramatic showdown when the prestigious French Open crown slipped from Aryna Sabalenka’s grip and fell into Coco Gauff’s hands, igniting controversy and raw emotions under the Paris sky? It was a painful twist, a moment that cut deep, yet Sabalenka cried, then struck back with a thunderous claim: “I think she won the match not because she played incredible, but because I made all those mistakes.” Some called it an excuse, a way to dim Gauff’s triumph! But now, with Wimbledon on the horizon, Aryna is a warrior reborn, poised to roar back and conquer the grass once more.
The WTA top seed fell under a storm of criticism when she played down Coco Gauff’s triumph at Roland-Garros, suggesting it was her own mistakes, not Gauff’s prowess, that turned the match. But now, a new page is turning in Aryna Sabalenka’s story. Rising from the ashes of controversy, the Belarusian opened up in an exclusive “Eurosport Germany” interview, owning her past words with raw honesty. “That was just completely unprofessional of me, she added. “I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then. You know, we all make mistakes. I’m just a human being who’s still learning in life.”
“I think we all have those days when we lose control. The difference with me is the world is watching. I get a lot more hate for what I did than other people,” she later confronted. And now, the warrior is ready to conquer what’s left, letting her powerful game do the talking under the London sky.
In the same raw and revealing interview, the 3-time GS winner Aryna Sabalenka opened up about her deep hunger to conquer grass-court glory, proving she’s a warrior who’s far from finished. “We all have the same goal: to win the tournament,” she said. “I’ve built a lot of self-confidence over the years, but at the same time, I’ve realized it has nothing to do with self-confidence. It’s about how willing you are to go out on the court and compete, even when things aren’t going so well. It’s about how willing you are to go out there and fight for what you want.”
To be honest, the grass under her feet holds its own story, a story filled with near triumphs and painful disappointments. At Wimbledon, the All England Club’s crown has remained elusive for the Belarusian, with her best runs ending in the SF in 2021 and 2023. Nevertheless, her 64.15% win rate on grass, a 34-19 record, speaks volumes about her ability to conquer the surface when it matters most.
250608 — PARIS, June 8, 2025 — Aryna Sabalenka sheds tears during the awarding ceremony for the women s singles at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 7, 2025. SPFRANCE-PARIS-TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN-WOMEN S SINGLES-FINAL GaoxJing PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
And as the calendar races toward Wimbledon, Sabalenka finds herself in Germany, dialing in her form at the Berlin Open. “There are not many opportunities to feel the grass before Wimbledon,” she said, making it clear this warm-up is more than just practice, it’s a decisive piece of her quest for glory. Her campaign in the German capital starts tomorrow against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova.
Still, controversy clouds her path, though. Her comments about Coco Gauff struck a nerve in the tennis world, prompting legends to question whether such words undermine the reputation she’s fought hard to build.
Sabalenka’s Gauff Jab Sparks Andy Roddick’s French Verdict
After a heartbreaking French Open final that left the Belarusian battling more than just tears on clay, Sabalenka ignited a storm with her words. She described it as the worst final she ever played, having been broken nine times and accumulating a staggering 70 unforced errors. In a raw and painful moment, she opened up about her struggles.
But it was her post-match jab that struck a deep chord with the fans. “If Iga would win me another day, I think she would go out today and she would get the win.” The comment fell like thunder across the tennis world, prompting many, including former US Open champion Andy Roddick, to respond. His voice heavy with disbelief, Roddick said, “Yesterday, I said, you know, the way that Sabalenka has generally carried herself during post-match ceremonies and all of that stuff. She has been largely good. She normally has a joke or is complimentary. I didn’t really like what she did in the post-match presser yesterday. Talking about how terrible she played and talking about all this stuff.”
Roddick struck even harder and deeper, adding, “Talking about how Iga would have won had she played Coco. Like, I don’t know, like, who, like, if a frog had wings, it wouldn’t bump its a–. What’s the point of saying? I thought was beneath the precedent that she’s set for herself before, and frankly, it doesn’t matter scoreboard wins or losses.”
As the controversy now settles, Sabalenka finds herself in Germany this week, ready to conquer the grass courts in Berlin. Will this be the moment she grasps her 1st grass-court title this year on her path toward SW19 glory? The world waits in hushed anticipation!
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