Aryna Sabalenka doesn’t hold back her emotions.
The Belarusian tennis star often lets her performance do the talking, but her emotional presence on the court has made her a fan favorite.
Sometimes, her feelings work to her advantage, creating an electrifying atmosphere, but they can also lead to challenges. This was evident during her match against American Coco Gauff in the French Open Finals, where she lost with scores of 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4.
In the match, the world No. 1 initially took a commanding 4-1 lead in the first set. However, she struggled to maintain control from that point forward.
On the flip side, Gauff remained calm and capitalized on Sabalenka’s inconsistent performance, with Sabalenka accumulating 70 unforced errors compared to Gauff’s 30.
This disparity especially showed in the final set, where despite a brief moment of hope for Sabalenka, she couldn’t regain the momentum after breaking Gauff’s serve.
After the match, Sabalenka addressed the crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier, visibly affected. “To be honest, everyone, this hurts so much,” she said, with tears in her eyes.
Prior to the finals, she had dropped just one set throughout the tournament. Despite the loss, she retains the top position in the WTA rankings, while Gauff rises to No. 2.
Following a moment of composure, Sabalenka congratulated Gauff and her team on a hard-fought victory. Her post-match remarks included, “I thank my team for your support. I’m sorry for this tough final. Anyway, thank you, everyone. I’ll be back stronger.” The crowd responded with warm applause during her speech.
