Andrea Petkovic reacts to Aryna Sabalenka’s controversial comments about Coco Gauff, ‘it helps explain the attitude’

However, when she moved into the media room to do her post-match press conference, she made a comment which has not been received well by the masses.

Claiming that Iga Swiatek would have won the final, had she beaten Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, many have argued that she has come across as bitter and unable to accept the nature of her loss.

Petkovic has been a little more sympathetic though.

Andrea Petkovic on Aryna Sabalenka’s French Open final claims

Taking to her SubStack, the 37-year-old did seek to justify Sabalenka’s comments.

She empathised by noting: ‘When I was young and lanky, not a great mover but already quite strong for a junior, I hit a lot more winners than my peers due to being ahead in my physical development. I had Aryna’s mindset and only winners felt like I did something right.’

The German continued: ’I don’t think it excuses Sabalenka’s statement after the final, when she said, she thought Gauff didn’t play that well that rather she just missed too much. But it helps explain the attitude a little bit.

‘For the longest time, I looked down on “pushers” until I understood, after some tough losses and sleepless nights, that the “pushers” I looked down on have understood the game I claim to love so much better, and it was time for me to learn.

‘Don’t be mistaken, though, Coco is everything BUT a pusher. Yes, she runs a lot of balls down, but the difference between a classic “pusher” and the champion (2-time champion!!) Coco Gauff is a stark one.’

Chris Evert praised Coco Gauff’s French Open final performance too, with a mature display that deservedly snagged her second Grand Slam title.

Realistically, this entire saga feels like one big misunderstanding.

Sabalenka, an emotional individual who is only human, acted as such after a crushing defeat in which nothing she tried seemed to come off.

She was a set up, and thus a set away from her first-ever French Open title, yet saw it slip away before her eyes.

To react with a comment that she might not have fully meant, and probably came out wrong, is surely to be excused. Gauff seems to be aware of that, and Sabalenka has come out and addressed the controversy with an apology of sorts.

It was not the most well-advised statement, but in such a moment of heightened emotion, surely she can be forgiven.

After all, this promises to be one of the great rivalries in women’s tennis going forward, and it would be a shame to see it constantly marred by one flippant comment after a particularly bruising battle.