Aryna Sabalenka has told Coco Gauff that she only won the French Open because of her mistakes. The world No. 1 suffered a heartbreaking three-set defeat in Saturday’s final and later said: “I think she won the match not because she played incredible.”
Sabalenka broke down in tears after losing 6-7 6-2 6-4 and struggled to get through her runner-up speech, declaring that she played “terrible” tennis. But the three-time Major winner is now hoping to forget all about it as she shared her boozy holiday plans.
After blowing a double-break lead early in the first set of the match, it never really felt like Sabalenka was in control, even though she won the 80-minute set in a tiebreak.
While both players struggled with the windy conditions, the top seed seemed more bothered than her opponent and made 70 unforced errors, compared to 30 from Gauff.
Sabalenka also repeatedly ranted towards her box, and after the match, she suggested her own mistakes were what gave Gauff the title.
Addressing her collapse from 4-1 up in the opening set, she said: “I think it was more windy, got more windy. Also, I think I was overemotional. I think today I didn’t really handle myself quite well mentally, I would say. So basically that’s it.
“I was just making unforced errors. Like, I don’t know, I have to check the statistics. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes from – like, if you look from the outside, kind of like from easy balls.”
Sabalenka had defeated four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek in Thursday’s semi-final, handing the Pole her first loss at this tournament in four years.
But she suggested that the world No. 5 would have beaten Gauff had she reached the final.
“If Iga would [beat] me another day, I think she would go out today and she would get the win,” she continued.
“Yeah, it just hurts. Honestly hurts. I’ve been playing really well, and then in the last match, to go out there and perform like I did, that hurts.”
Sabalenka will now have some time off before her next tournament at the WTA 500 in Berlin next month. And she’s planning to jet off and drown her sorrows with plenty of tequila and gummy bears.
Finally cracking a smile, the Belarusian added: “I already have a flight booked to Mykonos and alcohol, sugar. I just need a couple of days to completely forget about this crazy world and this crazy – if I could swear, I would swear right now, but this crazy thing that happened today.
“I think everyone understands. I’m just trying to be very polite right now, but you know, there is no other word, you know, that could describe what just happened today on the court.
“But yeah, tequila, gummy bears, and I don’t know, swimming, being like the tourist for a couple of days.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk