In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka had suggested that Gauff’s victory was primarily due to her own errors, rather than Gauff’s performance, stating she believed Gauff “won the match not because she played incredible, but because I made all of those mistakes.” Sabalenka, who made 70 unforced errors in the final, also referred to it as the “worst final” she had ever played.
Speaking to Eurosport Germany recently, Sabalenka expressed deep regret for her comments. “That was just completely unprofessional of me. I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then, she stated.
She revealed that she has since written a personal letter to Gauff, though not immediately after the match, to apologize and assure her that she “absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her. Sabalenka emphasized that she never intended to attack Gauff and was simply “super emotional and not very smart at that press conference.
The World No. 1 added that the incident served as a “tough but very valuable lesson” for her, leading to significant self-reflection about how she handles emotional losses, particularly in finals.
