By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, June 7, 2025
Photograph credit score: Julien De Rosa/AFP/Getty
Tears trickled down her cheeks as an anguished Aryna Sabalenka tried to make sense of the emotional wreckage.
Within the first French Open closing between the world’s high two ladies in 12 years, No. 2 Coco Gauff was just too robust for No. 1 Sabalenka at crunch time at present.
A resilient Coco Gauff combated Aryna Sabalenka’s fierce energy with pure poise pulling off a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 comeback to seize her maiden Roland Garros championship in a thriller.
Afterward, the world’s greatest participant referred to as it her worst closing.
“It was actually truthfully the worst tennis I’ve performed within the final, I do not know, within the final I do not know what number of month,” Sabalenka instructed the media in Paris afterward. “Situations have been horrible, and he or she merely was higher in these circumstances than me. I believe it was the worst closing I ever performed.”
Contesting her third straight main closing, Sabalenka fell to 3-3 lifetime in Grand Slam title matches.
The 21-year-old Gauff improved to 6-5 lifetime vs. Sabalenka exhibiting she’s not fearful of the Belarusian’s energy and exuding a love of a very good combat slightly than fretting the battle when it will get tight.
After gutting out the opening set tiebreaker, Sabalenka spent a lot of this match combating battles on a number of fronts.
The highest seed was making an attempt to tame her drives amid a tempestuous wind that typically gusted previous 25 mph, pierce the speedy Gauff’s vaunted protection and talent making her opponent play another ball, and soothe the volcanic mood that erupted at instances as her dream dissolved within the grime.
Regardless of all that drama and self-sabotage, Sabalenka nonetheless fought again from 1-3 down within the decider and gained a break level within the closing sport earlier than Gauff drew two closing errors to shut a someday sloppy, however persistently pulsating closing in two hours, 38 minutes.
The highest seed mentioned at instances she felt the tennis universe was taking part in a cosmic joke on her with Gauff’s operating retrievals turning Sabalenka’s damaging drives into punch strains.
“I imply, truthfully typically it felt like she was hitting the ball from the body,” Sabalenka mentioned. “One way or the other magically the ball lands within the courtroom, and also you sort of, like, on the again foot.
“It felt like a joke, truthfully, like any individual from above was simply staying there laughing, like, let’s have a look at for those who can deal with this. And I could not at present.
“I actually hope the following time we play, if it will be the identical circumstances, I’ll play most likely a bit bit smarter, not over-rush issues, and yeah, attempt to keep there and attempt to combat.”
Many will slam Sabalenka for her post-match remarks, however it’s vital to use some perspective, too.
The adrenaline from this battle was nonetheless coursing by her veins when Sabalenka walked into her post-match presser. On reflection, she have been wiser to take a break to attempt to let feelings subside and clear her head earlier than assembly the media. It was Sabalenka’s second straight Slam closing loss to an underdog American opponent following Madison Keys’ epic Australian Open closing upset, which solely added to the anguish because the three-time Grand Slam champion may have been midway to a calendar Grand Slam.
A brave Keys dethroned two-time defending champion Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in an inspirational AO showdown pitting premier energy gamers that escalated into gorgeous slugfest on Rod Laver Area.
The Nineteenth-seeded Keys drilled a diagonal forehand winner closing the primary ladies’s main closing to go to 5-all within the decider since Serena Williams edged Victoria Azarenka within the 2012 US Open closing.
So Sabalenka was favored within the final two main finals solely to fall frustratingly quick.
On the similar time, Sabalenka aspires to be an all-surface champion.
One cause she has but to win a significant on clay or grass is these pure surfaces current variable and the girl who can create chaos for opponents hasn’t proven the abilities to grasp unruly circumstances on slippery surfaces. That is what being an all-surface champion requires although so you must confront the problem slightly than simply complain about it.
If Sabalenka ever critiques a replay of this match, she’s going to see areas of enchancment tactically, emotionally and competitively. Gauff performed cleaner tennis amid chaotic circumstances, committing 40 fewer unforced errors and stamping seven love video games in comparison with two for Sabalenka.
When stress got here, Sabalenka tried to unravel it by squeezing photographs nearer to the strains—particularly on her down the road drives. As an alternative, she scattered 70 unforced errors.
You may’t fault Sabalenka for focusing on Gauff’s weaker forehand wing—it’s a standard tactic and the world is aware of the Delray Seaside-born baseliner possesses one of the damaging two-handed backhands within the sport—however to serve practically solely to that forehand on the deuce courtroom, the Belarusian mainly performed Gauff right into a groove on that forehand return. She’s No. 2 on this planet for those who’re telegraphing your serve to her all through the match, what do you assume will occur?
The US Open champion is a worthy world No. 1, however Gauff was clearly the extra composed competitor who met each disaster level as a problem she may clear up, whereas Sabalenka was grunting, screaming and typically wailing at her field wanting a bit like a flustered contender fretting her time on the salmon stage slightly than the world’s premier participant.
This loss will sting for fairly a very long time.
A disconsolate Sabalenka mentioned she’s going to deal with the ache with a panacea: Tequila and Gummy Bears.
Hopefully for the Belarusian, bears and booze will chase the Grand Slam ghosts away.
“I have already got a flight booked to Mykonos and alcohol, sugar,” Sabalenka mentioned. “I simply want couple of days to utterly neglect about this loopy world and this loopy—if I may swear, I’d swear proper now, however this loopy factor that occurred at present…
“Tequila, gummy bears, and I do not know, swimming, being just like the vacationer for couple of days.”
