Coco Gauff responded gracefully but assertively to Aryna Sabalenka’s suggestion that Iga Swiatek would have won the French Open final if she hadn’t been knocked out in the semi-finals. Gauff, who came from a set down to beat Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 for her first Roland Garros title, reminded everyone that she had already beaten Swiatek in straight sets on clay at the Madrid Open earlier this year.
While Sabalenka lamented her own 70 unforced errors and hinted that Swiatek was the tougher opponent she might have faced, Gauff emphasized her mental preparation and confidence, saying she was ready to face either player and believed she had a good chance to win. She tactfully dismissed Sabalenka’s comment as unfair, pointing to her trophy as proof of her achievement.
Sabalenka attributed her loss mainly to her mistakes and the challenging windy conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, suggesting that Gauff’s win was partly due to those errors rather than an extraordinary performance by Gauff. But Gauff maintained her stance, highlighting her recent head-to-head win over Swiatek to reinforce that she was a worthy champion regardless of who she faced.
