"I wonder how many sponsorship deals Aryna Sabalenka lost" - Coco Gauff fans call out Belarusian over 'PR' apology statement

Aryna Sabalenka recently revealed that she had apologized to Coco Gauff following her controversial comments after the 2025 French Open final. While the Belarusian may have intended to make amends, many fans of the American star weren’t convinced.

Sabalenka’s defeat to Gauff was one of the toughest she’s faced in a while, with 70 unforced errors weighing heavily on her game. After the match, she said the loss came down to her own “terrible” form rather than anything exceptional from her opponent and that if Iga Swiatek had made it to the final instead of her, the Pole would’ve won.

Speaking to Eurosport Germany ahead of her Berlin campaign, the World No. 1 said she had sent an apology to Gauff and admitted she regrets what she said. She commented:

“I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then. You know, we all make mistakes. I'm just a human being who's still learning in life. I think we all have those days when we lose control. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward -- not immediately, but recently.”

Coco Gauff’s fans, however, remain skeptical of Aryna Sabalenka’s apology. Many believe she only spoke up to protect her image. One fan wrote on Instagram:

“I wonder how many sponsorship deals she lost because of this behavior.” “I am all for giving people grace. However, this is not an apology. This is her PR agent said - we have to fix the narrative, so let's spin the block with a ‘sincere apology.’ Your character showed. Winning at life and in sports isn't just how well you play the game, it's how you respect the sport and the other players that worked their tail off to do what Coco does!” another wrote.

One account posted:

“She doesn't regret it she meant what she said.” “So is it just me or did we all not see, ‘I'm sorry Coco’?? These half apologies are so laughable. Simply because she's not sorry and is trying to save contract deals and face! Just sad!!!” one user wrote. “Took her long enough and I'll leave it at that,” another added.

One fan commented:

“She's only saying this because she got attacked. She doesn't care.”

Coco Gauff fans via Instagram

Coco Gauff fans via Instagram

Coco Gauff & Aryna Sabalenka gear up for Berlin ahead of Wimbledon

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff pictured at the 2025 French Open | Image Source: Getty

Despite the French Open controversy, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka haven’t let the drama affect their game. Both are in Berlin, ready to kick off their campaigns at the German Open. It is a key warm-up tournament ahead of Wimbledon, the year’s third Grand Slam.

Sabalenka will begin her run against Rebeka Masarova on Wednesday, June 18, while Gauff is set to face Wang Xinyu a day later. The two come in as the top two seeds.

They can only meet in the final, but for that to happen, they’ll need to navigate a tough field featuring the likes of Paula Badosa, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur, and more. It’s anything but an easy path

Edited by Pritha Ghosh