The Belarusian player says she assured Gauff that "she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her"

Sabalenka had bemoaned her 'terrible' play after the Roland Garros final, saying that Gauff kept hitting shots off the frame of her racket.

More than a week after Aryna Sabalenka drew some criticism for her post-match press conference comments about Cooc Gauff, the Belarusian tennis star says she has issued an apology. Sabalenka lost in three sets in Paris (6-7, 6-2, 6-4), to Guaff last week, and afterward’s seemed to discredit the American’s win.