'A JOKE': EMOTIONAL SABALENKA BLAMES CONDITIONS, DOWNPLAYS GAUFF'S PERFORMANCE

Aryna Sabalenka couldn't hide her tears during the trophy presentation. (Getty/Clive Brunskill)

Déjà vu haunted Aryna Sabalenka in her loss to new Roland-Garros champion Coco Gauff, but the Belarusian struggled to take the defeat well.

It was Gauff who showed her poise and maturity at only 21 years of age to fight back from a set down, conquering Sabalenka 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 to capture her second major title.

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Her maiden Slam triumph came at the 2023 US Open when the American also rallied back from a one-set deficit against the same opponent.

"It's another tough Grand Slam final against Coco. Another terrible performance from me against Coco in the final," Sabalenka told the media, who recorded a staggering 70 unforced errors.

"I have to step back, look at this from a perspective, and try to finally learn the lesson, because I cannot go out there every time against her in Grand Slam finals and play such terrible tennis and give those wins, not easily, but emotionally.

"I think I was overemotional. I didn't really handle myself quite well mentally," she continued upon reflection.

"I was just making unforced errors. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes. If you look from the outside, kind of like from easy balls.

"You've been playing against a lot of tough opponents, Olympic champion, Iga, and then you go out, and you play really bad. It was honestly the worst tennis I've played in the last, I don't know how many months."

During the on-court presentation, she mentioned the difficult conditions and cited the same issue in the post-match press conference, as well as labelling it "a joke".

"Conditions were terrible," the world No.1 said.

"When she would hit the ball, at some point, the wind would just let the ball fly like crazy, and I was late every time."

The 27-year-old ended the press conference bizarrely when she stated that if four-time French Open winner Iga Świątek reached the final, she would have defeated Gauff.

Her thoughts sparked a natural response from Gauff.

"I don’t agree with that," she replied. "I'm sitting here. Last time I played — no shade to Iga or anything — but I played her and I won in straight sets. I don't think that's a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen.

"Honestly, the way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favourite to win. I think she was the best person that I could have played in the final. Her being No.1 in the world was the best person to play, so I think I got the hardest matchup, just if you go off stats alone."

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