LONDON — Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have mended their relationship swiftly after the French Open final earlier this month. As Wimbledon gears up to begin, Gauff is hopeful that the world can overlook the comments made by the top-seeded Sabalenka following her defeat to the American player at Roland-Garros.
Just a day after they were seen sharing a dance on Wimbledon’s Centre Court in a TikTok video, the two tennis stars faced persistent questioning on Saturday regarding Sabalenka’s remarks post-final, where she attributed her loss to her own mistakes over Gauff’s prowess. Shortly after, the Belarusian athlete extended an apology to Gauff, admitting that her comments were “unprofessional.” Nevertheless, her initial remarks sparked a considerable backlash, particularly among the U.S. audience.
Determined to quell the criticism, Gauff expressed, “I’m not the person that will fuel hate in the world. I believe the reaction was blown out of proportion. It was just targeting her unfairly, and I didn’t want to perpetuate that.” Gauff’s first match at Wimbledon will be against Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday.
On the other hand, Sabalenka, who is set to compete against Carson Branstine on No. 1 Court on Monday, hopes that their TikTok video clarifies that their relationship is amicable. “We are good, we are friends,” the three-time major champion mentioned. “I hope the U.S. media can be understanding towards me now.” Sabalenka reiterated that she had no intention of offending Gauff, explaining, “I was merely upset with myself, overwhelmed by emotions. I momentarily lost control.”
Gauff confessed that she initially considered responding publicly to Sabalenka’s comments, where she insinuated Gauff’s win was due to her own mistakes rather than the American’s impressive play. Furthermore, Gauff was a bit taken aback by the delay in Sabalenka’s apology. However, once Sabalenka reached out, the American quickly let go of any lingering resentment.
“I believe in love and positivity,” Gauff articulated. “I advocate for harmony, happiness, and living without worries or conflicts.” Other athletes expressed relief at witnessing the top two women players reconciling. “I’m glad they have moved past this,” remarked Frances Tiafoe, seeded 12th in the Wimbledon men’s bracket. “It’s crucial since they’re leading players globally, and such relationships are important.”
Tiafoe added humorously, “But a little rivalry wouldn’t hurt; it’d be sort of exciting if they had a competitive edge towards each other.”