The Worst Final I’ve Played," Sabalenka Vents Frustration After Roland-Garros Defeat
For the second time this year after the Australian Open, Aryna Sabalenka fell in a Grand Slam final, despite winning the first set.
In Saturday’s final against Coco Gauff, the world No. 1 seemed to have taken control after a tight opening set, but she gradually unraveled, committing 70 unforced errors over the course of the match.
The Belarusian, who was aiming for her first title at Roland-Garros, will have to wait. After drying her tears, she faced the press and didn’t hold back about her performance:
"I played amazing matches over these two weeks against really great players. My level in those matches was much better than in this final. This was definitely my worst match in a very long time. The conditions were tough, but she handled them better. It’s the worst final I’ve played."
Sabalenka also spoke about Gauff’s level during the final, while referencing the challenging conditions:
"She moved incredibly well. In these conditions, I couldn’t replicate what I did in Madrid, for example, or what I needed to do to beat her. Today… I don’t know. At times, it felt like she could hit the ball with the frame and, as if by magic, it would still land in. It was like I was always on the back foot.
Honestly, I thought it was a joke. Like someone up there was laughing and saying, 'Let’s see if you can handle this.' Today, I couldn’t. Next time, if we play in similar conditions, I hope to play smarter. I won’t rush. I’ll just try to stay in the moment and fight.
French Open 
