Aryna Sabalenka has once again emerged to defend her comments after the French Open final.
There, she alluded to the fact that Coco Gauff, the winner of that match, had only won because of her own failures rather than the American’s success.
It was one particular claim that drew widespread condemnation, as the Belarusian claimed: “If Iga had beaten me the other day, I think she’d come out today and get the win.”
As such, Sabalenka was criticised for her comments, and rightly so. However, the way in which this admonishment has continued is unfair.
Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images
She has apologised at length, and the two players in question seem to have made up long ago. And yet, it remains a topic of conversation.
Aryna Sabalenka has now, hopefully, delivered the final word on this tiresome saga.
Speaking to the press, ahead of her return to action at the Cincinnati Open, attention inexplicably returned to a tournament that concluded over two months ago.
Sabalenka’s answer was measured and forthright, admitting: “Some people don’t really understand the intensity of everything, that when you lose the final of one of the biggest tournaments and you go to media straightaway, you’re so frustrated, so pissed at yourself, you’re trying to figure out what just happened.
“You don’t think clearly, and you make a comment and people forget completely about who you are the rest of the time.
“I had to sit back and reflect on everything and apologise and make sure people understand my point that I was just overemotional. I was completely wrong. It took a little while to explain myself a little better. But now I think people understand me even better. It was a tough lesson, but it helped me in many ways.”
The 27-year-old continued: “I think nowadays people know me as a player and as a person.
“I feel like people know, ‘On court, she’s great, she’s passionate, she’s focused, she’s fighting for her dream. But also, she’s fun, she’s nice, she’s chill, she’s a completely different person.”
People need to move on from Aryna Sabalenka’s French Open final mistake
As noted earlier, it has officially been over two months since that French Open final, and yet it remains a topic of conversation that Sabalenka must answer to.
She deserved reprimanding in the immediate aftermath, and that is what occurred. The tennis world united to condemn her comments, and as a reaction, she instantly apologised on social media.
Gauff accepted Sabalenka’s apology ahead of Wimbledon, which must have been the fifth time the four-time Grand Slam champion had sent a message of forgiveness to the American.
At some point, this is a subject that needs to be left in the past.
She has atoned for her errors, made things right with those she wronged, and the two now seem on good terms once again. It’s time to move on from this line of questioning.