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Aryna Sabalenka left inconsolable after ‘terrible’ French Open loss to Gauff, chokes up during presentation speech
Staggering total of 70 unforced errors cost Aryna Sabalenka the match as Coco Gauff forced her way back to win her maiden French Open title.
Aryna Sabalenka could barely speak, her face buried in her palms as she held the mic. And as she uttered her first words, tears rolled down her cheeks. It was a tough moment for the world No. 1, who had held the edge after winning the opening set of the French Open final. But her power game was eventually neutralised by Coco Gauff, who turned the tide to clinch her maiden Roland Garros crown.
Sabalenka showed her mental steel in a pulsating 78-minute opening set, roaring to a 4-1 lead with a double break. Even as Gauff clawed her way back to force a tie-break, the Belarusian held her nerve to edge ahead in the shootout and take a one-set lead in the final.
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However, a staggering 70 unforced errors eventually cost her the match. Gauff stormed through the second set in just 32 minutes with a double break, then sealed victory with a late break in the decider to claim her second career Slam title.
"This will hurt so much, especially after such a tough two seeks playing great tennis in terrible conditions," the Belarusian said as she stifled her sobs.
"Thank you my team for the support, I'm sorry for this terrible final. As always I will come back stronger," the three-time Grand Slam champion said.
“To Coco: you deserve it, you're a hard worker, a fighter.”
Gauff stunned by her own achievement
The 21-year-old, who became the youngest American to win the Roland Garros singles title since Serena Williams on 2002, admitted that she did nit think she had it in her to stop the in-form Sabalenka on court Philippe Chatrier.
"I didn’t think honestly I could do it," the world No. 2 two said between tears.
Gauff also paid tribute to Sabalenka, who see beat for the second time in a Slam final, the previous being in the 2023 US Open, when the youngster had lifted her maiden Slam.
"Every time we play it is a tough match for me, so congratulations. You remind me there is more to life than tennis," she said.
