Coco Gauff makes feelings known about French Open chances after Madrid Open final defeat to Aryna Sabalenka
Coco Gauff's search for her first singles title since the 2024 WTA Finals continues after her defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final.
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Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Coco Gauff, The Tennis Letter)
Coco Gauff came close to ending her trophy drought this season on Saturday (May 3), but it was not to be. Her opponent for the day, Aryna Sabalenka, played better tennis.
They were pitted against each other in the final of the Madrid Open for the first time and the Belarusian, in an hour 39 minutes, emerged victorious for the third time at the Caja Magica with a 6-3, 7-6(3) scoreline. Sabalenka, who was defeated in the 2024 WTA Finals semifinals by eventual winner Gauff, tied the head-to-head record over the American to 5-5.
Following another WTA 1000 tournament (the Italian Open), the players will be gearing up for the French Open, scheduled to start on May 25. Gauff, who had reached the final back in 2022, said she is heading in the right direction when asked about her chances at the French Open at the post-match press conference.
I’m playing well in general; probably today I was too passive, but I’m happy. To be honest, I think today was the first day I was really tested, besides the first round. There are many positives to take, especially after the past few weeks, where I wasn’t feeling very confident.
Coco Gauff said
Gauff had lost the 2022 French Open final to World No.2 Iga Swiatek, whom she defeated in the Madrid Open semifinals, ending her title defense. The match against Sabalenka was Gauff’s first clay-court final since that French Open.
Gauff, who clinched the French Open in doubles last year along with Katerina Siniakova, has lifted just one singles title on the red dirt- the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Open. In Madrid, Gauff played her first singles final since last year’s WTA Finals. Before the first clay-court WTA 1000 tournament of the season, Gauff failed to win more than two matches in the five tournaments she played after losing the Australian Open quarterfinals to Paula Badosa.
Coco Gauff reveals why she thinks Aryna Sabalenka has been achieving success this season
The Madrid Open final victory was Aryna Sabalenka‘s 31st win in matches this season. It was also her sixth final this season following the Brisbane International, the Australian Open, Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the Stuttgart Open.
She won in Brisbane and her triumph in Miami and Madrid has made her only the second woman since Serena Williams (in 2013) to win these two WTA 1000 titles in the same year. Coco Gauff, when asked to comment on Sabalenka’s level in the press conference, said the Belarusian has improved her game a lot.
We have played about ten times, and it’s always tough when I face her, and I don’t think she played any differently today than in the past. The last time, my serve was better, and I won. Now maybe she moves better and has more confidence, which is why she’s achieving these great results.
Coco Gauff said
The Madrid Open final was their second clash on the red dirt following the 2021 Italian Open, which Gauff had won. Sabalenka has now improved her win against the top 10 players to 6-0 this season.
It was her 20th singles title and her third on clay, following the 2021 and 2023 Madrid Open, which she won by beating Ash Barty and Iga Swiatek, respectively. She would have scheduled a three-consecutive Madrid Open final against the Pole had the latter defeated Gauff in the last four.
The 26-year-old became just the second woman after Petra Kvitova to win three Madrid Open titles. With this win, Sabalenka also increased her lead on the rankings table as she is more than 4000 points ahead of second-placed Swiatek in the live rankings (11118). The five-time Grand Slam champion would have been dropped to the third spot had Gauff won the title.
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