Coco Gauff receives firm support from Gabby Thomas after Madrid Open final loss

American athlete Gabby Thomas recently reacted to Coco Gauff's Madrid Open Instagram post. The 5-time Olympic medalist applauded the 21-year-old's performance despite her disappointing defeat against Aryna Sabalenka. The reaction followed Gauff's self-motivating post, where she posed with the runner-up trophy.

Gauff showcased commendable form at the 2025 Madrid Open as she reached her first WTA 1000 final on clay. She defeated tough rivals en route, including Mirra Andreeva and world No. 2 Iga Świątek in the semifinals. However, she fell to Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 6-7(3) in the final that lasted 1 hour and 39 minutes. This marked Gauff's first WTA 1000 final since her 2024 China Open victory.

Despite the defeat, Coco Gauff maintained her composure by thanking the crowd for the amazing support. She posted a carousel of pictures on Instagram, sharing glimpses of the showdown against Sabalenka. She expressed pride in herself, considering the last week successful in many ways.

"Thank You Madrid❤️not the outcome I was hoping for today but a lot to be proud of. leaving here with my head up and more motivation to work even harder to do better next time🙏🏾," her caption said.

Among hundreds of followers cheering the 21-year-old for her performance was Gabby Thomas. The Olympic gold medalist dropped clapping emojis to the post, conveying firm support for the WTA star's performance.

"👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽," she wrote.

Gabbu Thomas' comment on Coco Gauff's post | Image Source Instagram

After the defeat, Coco Gauff is now preparing herself for the upcoming challenge in Rome. The young American is set to compete against top rivals, including Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Iga Swiatek and others.

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Aryna Sabalenka applauds Coco Gauff's fighting spirit post Madrid Open win

Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka at the Mutua Madrid Open - Day Twelve - Source: Getty

Aryna Sabalenka, despite her dominant win over Coco Gauff, didn't back down from appreciating the latter's restored level. The 3-time Grand Slam champion expressed delight on seeing Coco Gauff regain her lost form. This came after Gauff's recent struggles, where she failed to make it past the top 16 in any of the events after the Australian Open, barring the Stuttgart Open.

"Congratulations to Coco. I am so happy to see you back playing your best tennis. You are such a fighter and I love playing against you. With my team, we have been through a lot together so thank you to them," she said in her post-match on-court interview.

Gauff responded with the same generosity, stating:

"I think it's four straight finals for you... Congratulations to you for all the success you are having."

The recent victory marked Aryna Sabalenka's second WTA 1000 title of the season, including her Miami Open win. The Belarusian now looks forward to competing at the Italian Open as she seeks her 21st singles title.