Coco Gauff Explains TikTok Video with Aryna Sabalenka After French Open Controversial Remarks

World No.2 Coco Gauff will be locking horns with Dayana Yastremska to start her campaign for Wimbledon.

Coco Gauff Explains TikTok Video with Aryna Sabalenka After French Open Controversial Remarks

Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/The Tennis Letter, Jimmie48 Photography)

Coco Gauff has made it clear that she holds no grudges against Aryna Sabalenka over what she said after her French Open defeat. Sabalenka failed to handle her emotions and claimed that had four-time Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek defeated her in the semifinals, she would have handled the windy conditions in the final better and beat Gauff.

The American was taken aback by this comment but now, everything is alright between them, for Gauff has received an apology text from Sabalenka, and also the Belarusian apologized when they met in person. Gauff also didn’t pay heed to whatever Sabalenka said during the on-court interview after her defeat.

Several former players thought Sabalenka did not give credit to the 21-year-old by repeatedly calling her performance terrible. Both the players love TikTok and made a video of them dancing at Wimbledon to show the tennis world that they have buried their hatchet. At the press conference later, Gauff reiterated that both the players have moved on from the incident.

But I think that was just more so just to kind of show people that we are on good terms and, you know, there’s a lot of things that have been said, and I’m not someone that supports hate and things like that. And so I thought it would be a good idea for that just so people can really see it and kind of move on, because I think we’re both tired of talking about it, to be honest.

In that final, Gauff registered her sixth victory over the World No.1 in their 11th encounter. Both Sabalenka and Gauff have never tasted victory in a grass-court tournament.

At Wimbledon, while Sabalenka was the semifinalist in 2021 and 2023, and had skipped it last year, Gauff has never progressed beyond the fourth round, reaching the stage in 2019, 2021, and 2024. Last year, Emma Navarro knocked the two-time Grand Slam singles champion out of the tournament.

Sabalenka, who has reached seven finals this season, will be bidding to win her fourth title at Wimbledon, following her wins in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid. Before arriving in London, the three-time Grand Slam singles champion lost to eventual winner Marketa Vondrousova in the semifinals. She will kick-start her Wimbledon campaign against Carson Branstine.

Andy Roddick doesn’t think Coco Gauff will win Wimbledon

Coco Gauff for sure will enter Wimbledon as one of the contenders but Andy Roddick doesn’t think she will reach the final. During his Served podcast, the 2003 US Open champion said Gauff’s game suits the clay more than grass.

Coco Gauff (via X/Tennis Channel)
Coco Gauff (via X/Tennis Channel)

I don’t think Coco makes it to the fourth round. It’s weird because we judge people against their own shadows. How much stock do you put in what she did, which was amazing, over the clay court season. Everything about clay benefits her game, it slows it down, more time on the forehand side. Grass is going to be her most challenging surface.

Gauff will start her Wimbledon campaign against Dayana Yastremska, whom she has met thrice and won all the matches. All these three matches they played on clay. Like Gauff, Yastremska too has not yet advanced to the quarterfinals, reaching the last 16 in 2019 (lost to Zhang Shuai). Last year, Donna Vekic ended her run in the third round.

Before arriving in London, Gauff lost her opening round match to eventual runner-up Wang Xinyu at the Berlin Open. Yastremska participated at the Eastbourne International, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up Maya Joint. While Gauff ended her trophy drought at the French Open, Yastremska hasn’t yet lifted a title since winning her career’s third title at the 2019 Strasbourg Open.

Also read: Donna Vekic Fueled By Paris Olympic Medal to Deliver on the Grand Slam Stage