Excuse Aryna Sabalenka's controversial comments on Coco Gauff, even Roger Federer couldn't help himself after losing French Open to Rafael Nadal

The last few days haven’t been easy for Aryna Sabalenka. Her loss to Coco Gauff in the 2025 French Open final was tough enough, but the real storm came after, thanks to her controversial remarks about the American. Strangely enough, she’s not alone in this, as Roger Federer once made a similar comment about Rafael Nadal.

Sabalenka came into the final as the heavy favorite, especially after her stunning win over three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. But things unraveled in the title clash, as she fell to Gauff in straight sets, racking up a costly 70 unforced errors along the way.

The Belarusian later claimed she lost because of her “terrible” form and added that the American wouldn’t have won the title if she had played Swiatek instead of her in the final. The comments left many tennis fans disappointed, especially since they expected the World No. 1 to show grace in defeat.

But it’s not exactly unheard of in the tennis world. Back in 2011, after losing to his longtime rival Nadal in the French Open final despite putting up a strong fight, Federer made a similar remark during his press conference. He said (via The Guardian):

"It's always me who's going to dictate play and decide how the outcome is going to be. If I play well, I will most likely win in the score or beat him; if I'm not playing so well, that's when he wins.”

It wasn’t exactly the most gracious runner-up speech from Federer back then, and the same can be said for Sabalenka now. Still, those comments didn’t seem to strain their relationships with the players they were directed at, as there was a sense of mutual understanding.

Aryna Sabalenka issues apology to Coco Gauff after French Open comments; American reacts

Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka pictured at the 2025 French Open | Image Source: Getty

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have since cleared the air following the controversy at the French Open. Sabalenka addressed the situation through an Instagram Story, saying she never intended to take anything away from Gauff’s victory. She explained that her comments came from a place of heartbreak and frustration after the tough loss.

Sabalenka wrote:

“You all know me... I'm always going to be honest and human in how I process these moments. I made over 70 unforced errors, so I can't pretend it was a great day for me.”

“But both things can be true... I didn't play my best, and Coco stepped up and played with poise and purpose. She earned that title. Respect. Time to rest, learn, and come back stronger,” she added.

Gauff later responded to Sabalenka’s comments with maturity, saying she understood what her opponent was going through. She added that the loss was tough on Sabalenka and that she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.