Tennis legend Jimmy Connors has stood up for Aryna Sabalenka following the wave of criticism she received after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff.
Sabalenka, currently ranked world No.1, was visibly emotional after her 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 loss in Saturday’s final at Roland Garros. It was her second consecutive Grand Slam final defeat, having also lost to Madison Keys in January’s Australian Open.
During her runner-up speech, the three-time Grand Slam winner expressed her disappointment, saying:
“This one really hurts. I played so well the last two weeks but showed terrible tennis in the final. Congrats to Coco, you deserved the win – you’re a true fighter.”
Later in her press conference, Sabalenka admitted she made too many errors and controversially suggested that Iga Swiatek, whom she beat in the semi-final, might have beaten Gauff if she had reached the final instead.
Those comments sparked backlash online and from tennis pundits, including Chris Evert. Sabalenka has since clarified her remarks, apologising via Instagram and stating that she meant no disrespect to Gauff.
But Connors, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, came to her defence on his podcast Advantage Connors, saying critics don’t understand what players go through emotionally after such big losses.
“Give her a break,” he said. “People want a reaction straight after the match, but maybe they should give players five minutes to breathe. Everyone reacts differently. They’re human, not robots.”
Connors also criticised fans and commentators who rush to judge:
“You think you know what’s in her head? You don’t. Not every player thinks the same – let them be individuals.”
Sabalenka will now look to bounce back at the Berlin Open next week as she begins her preparations for Wimbledon – the only Grand Slam where she hasn’t yet reached a final, having twice lost in the semi-finals.
