.png)
Paris, June 8 – World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka expressed deep disappointment after losing the 2025 French Open final to American tennis star Coco Gauff in a dramatic three-set match at Roland-Garros.
While Gauff celebrated her maiden French Open title on Court Philippe-Chatrier, taking jubilant selfies and basking in the crowd’s applause, a distraught Sabalenka sat motionless, visibly emotional. With her head down and a towel covering her face, the Belarusian showed signs of heartbreak even before the trophy ceremony began.
“Honestly guys, this one hurts so much,” Sabalenka told the crowd during the post-match interview. “To show such terrible tennis in the final does really hurt.”
Sabalenka, who won the first set 7-6 (5), saw her game unravel as Gauff mounted a comeback to win 6-2, 6-4 in the following sets. Despite hitting 37 winners, Sabalenka committed a staggering 70 unforced errors and was broken nine times—a statistic she openly acknowledged during her post-match comments.
“I think I was overemotional,” she said. “I didn’t really handle myself quite well mentally. I was just making unforced errors. Gauff didn’t play her best tennis; I just gave her too many easy points.”
The loss was especially bitter for Sabalenka, who had stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, ending the Pole’s 26-match unbeaten streak at the French Open. Her hopes of clinching a maiden Roland-Garros title were dashed by a flood of errors and mental lapses.
“This was honestly the worst tennis I’ve played in the last, I don’t know how many months,” she admitted. “You beat Olympic champions, beat Iga, and then in the final you play like that.”
Sabalenka also voiced frustration with the weather conditions. The retractable roof on Philippe-Chatrier remained open during the final, and gusts of wind appeared to disrupt her rhythm at key moments. She was visibly irritated by the swirling wind, often stepping back to reset between serves.
Despite the painful defeat, Sabalenka remains a major force in women’s tennis, and her resilience will be tested again as the tour moves forward to the grass court season.