In a surprising turn ahead of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have publicly reconciled after earlier tensions following the French Open final. The American and Belarusian, once at odds over recent comments, demonstrated their renewed friendship during a highly visible practice session on June 27 in London.
Practice Session Displays Renewed Connection Between Gauff and Sabalenka
Though Gauff and Sabalenka have generally maintained a friendly relationship over the years, remarks made by Sabalenka after her defeat to Gauff in the 2025 French Open final threatened to strain their rapport. Sabalenka attributed her loss to her own mistakes and controversially suggested that Iga Swiatek, whom she had beaten in the semifinals, would have defeated Gauff if they had met in the final. Gauff countered these remarks, highlighting her straight-set victory over Swiatek at the 2025 Madrid Open.
On June 27, the two athletes dispelled all speculation about lingering animosity when they were spotted dancing together during a break in their Wimbledon practice. They further engaged fans by creating a playful TikTok video, asking if people missed seeing them as a duo. Gauff later confirmed their reconciliation and encouraged followers to end any divisions among tennis fans.
“The olive branch was extended and accepted! We’re good so you guys should be too”
Sabalenka Acknowledges Mistakes and Issues Apology to Gauff
Following the French Open final, Aryna Sabalenka admitted that her earlier comments about Coco Gauff were unprofessional and emotionally driven. Speaking to Eurosport Germany, the three-time Grand Slam winner expressed regret and explained that she recently reached out to Gauff with an apology.
“That was just completely unprofessional of me. 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 has since acknowledged receiving multiple apology messages from Sabalenka and has defended her, urging understanding from the broader tennis community despite the criticism Sabalenka faced at the time.
The Importance of Their Reconciliation at Wimbledon
This fresh display of unity between two of the sport’s top-ranked singles players comes at a crucial moment during Wimbledon, a tournament where mutual respect and sportsmanship are highly valued. Their public mending serves as an example for tennis fans worldwide, promoting harmony over rivalry. As the championships progress, their renewed friendship could ease tensions both on and off the court, encouraging fans to support the sport without taking sides.