Coco Gauff hits back at Aryna Sabalenka's sour French Open final claim

• Coco Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the French Open final
• After, Sabalenka claimed Iga Swiatek would have beaten Gauff had they faced off
• But Gauff stood her ground and hit back at the world No 1's sour claim

Coco Gauff has hit back at Aryna Sabalenka 's contention that Iga Swiatek would have beaten her in the French Open final.

The 21-year-old American sensation conquered Roland-Garros for the very first time after coming from behind to defeat the top-ranked Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.

This marked the second Grand Slam of Gauff's career, having also claimed the 2023 US Open title. The world No 2 became the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.

To tee up Saturday's showdown, Gauff beat Lois Boisson in the semi-final, while Sabalenka edged past world No 5 Swiatek.

And in an ungracious press-conference after the final, Sabalenka argued that Swiatek would have beaten Gauff had she progressed past the semi-final.

Sabalenka said: 'That hurts. Especially when I've been playing really great tennis during the whole week. A lot of tough opponents, Iga.

'I think if Iga would have beaten me, she would go out today and she would get the win.'

Gauff parried the distasteful claim away and cited her victory in straight sets against Swiatek at the Madrid Open earlier this year, which was also on clay.

Gauff rebutted: 'I mean, I don't agree with that. I'm here sitting here (with the trophy). Last time I played - no shade to Iga or anything, but I played her and I won in straight sets (in Madrid).

'I don't think that's a fair thing to say, because anything can happen. The way Aryna was playing the last few weeks, she was the favourite to win the title. If you asked me, honestly, who I wanted to play, it was Iga just because I felt Aryna was playing so good, and she was.

'But regardless of who I played, I think I had a good shot to win. I definitely had that belief.'

Sabalenka made 70 unforced errors in blustery conditions, and said: 'It felt like a joke. Like somebody from above was laughing: let's see if you can handle this.

'After two weeks of incredible tennis, in the final in terrible conditions to play such terrible tennis really hurts.

'It felt like she (Gauff) was hitting the ball off the frame and somehow magically it lands in the court. I don't think she won the match because she played incredible, just because I made all those mistakes.'

The world No 1 went on to blame the conditions, namely the wind, and admitted her emotions got the better of her.

'They were terrible. The wind was terrible. Coco simply handled it better,' Sabalenka added.

'Also, I was overemotional. I think I didn't have a good mental grip on myself today. That was basically it,' said the world No 1.

In detail: 'Whenever she hit the ball, the wind would eventually make it fly like crazy, and I was always too late. It just felt like a joke, like someone from above was just laughing and saying, 'Let's see if you can do this.' And today I couldn't.'

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