Aryna Sabalenka, world No. 1 tennis player, lost in the Roland Garros final to Coco Gauff, frustrating in her first final at the French Open, which went in favour of the young American player. She was very affected by the defeat, and in her first interview after the match, she had suggested that Gauff's victory was only due to her mistakes (she committed 70 unforced errors), thus downplaying Gauff's merit in the match.
After receiving a lot of backlash, the Belorussian player apologised to Gauff, as reported today by Eurosport Germany (via The Tennis Letter). Sabalenka said that she was spoken to Coco after the match: "I wanted to apologise 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. I absolutely regret what I said back then", she added. "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. But what I also want to say is: I spoke to Coco afterward—not immediately, but recently".
"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. It took me a while to revisit it, to approach it with open eyes and understand. I realized a lot about myself. Why did I lose so many finals? I kept getting so emotional. I also learned a lot. 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. It was a tough but very important lesson for me."