Aryna Sabalenka Says She Personally Apologized to Coco Gauff for ‘Emotional’ Comments

Over a week after Aryna Sabalenka stirred up controversy following her loss to Coco Gauff at the French Open women's final for her close-to-petty postgame press conference comments, the world No. 1 admitted she reached out to Gauff and personally apologized.

Sabalenka, who fell in three sets in Paris (6-7, 6-2, 6-4), blamed the windy conditions and her own unforced errors for her loss while seeming to discredit Gauff's win.

"I think she won the match not because she played incredible. Just because I made all of those mistakes," Sabalenka said postgame.

Shortly after the French Open, Sabalenka released a statement clarifying her comments while giving Gauff her flowers, saying that her adversary "played with poise and purpose" and "earned that title."

With her less-than-graceful incident behind her, Sabalenka recently revealed she contacted Gauff and apologized for her "unprofessional" behavior following her defeat at Roland Garros.

"I spoke to Coco afterward. ... I wanted to apologize and make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her. That was just completely unprofessional of me. I let my emotions get the better of me," Sabalenka said in an exclusive Eurosport interview, translated by The Tennis Letter.

"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 got a lot more hate for what I did afterwards than most people."

Sabalenka went on to say she was still learning lessons off the court and sought patience from critics who want to see her handle losses with a bit more grace.

"I wanted to apologize and make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her," continued Sabalenka. "I never intended to attack her. I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference. I'm not necessarily proud for what I did. ... Above all, one thing: I'm the one who always treats my opponents with great respect—whether I win or lose. Without that respect, I wouldn't be where I am today."