Sportsmanship is the cornerstone of any sport, and tennis is no exception. Coco Gauff recently exemplified this spirit in her heartfelt sentiments toward one of her fiercest rivals, Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the grass slam due to injury left a void that was felt by both fans and players alike. Meanwhile, Gauff, known for her competitive fire on the court, showed a different side of it. She shared comments of praise for Sabalenka, calling her a worthy opponent and expressing deep regret over her absence.

Speaking at the post-match conference after defeating Caroline Dolehide 6-1, 6-2 in the first round, Gauff opened up on Sabalenka’s withdrawal. She spoke about the fierce spirit of the 26-year-old and expressed her dismay about her injury. “It is unfortunate that she had to pull out. She is always a contender in every slam and every surface. She is such a competitor and I think she is a nice person.”

Gauff further said she acknowledged the pain of not being able to play, especially after coming so close. “..and I hate, you know, see her not be able to play.” Gauff’s statement is proof of her spirit towards the sport despite the close matches she has faced against the Belarusian player. Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have faced each other seven times on the WTA tour. 

While Gauff leads the head-to-head with 4 wins, she has witnessed upsets at majors, including this year’s semi-final defeat at the Australian Open. As for Aryna Sabalenka, she sustained an injury in the quarterfinal match at the Berlin Open. Playing against Anna Kalinskaya, she was seen struggling with her shoulder and failed to get a good start, trailing 4-1.

Soon, the Belarusian star called a medical timeout to have her shoulder and neck area assessed and treated. She tried to play through the injury, but after another game, Sabalenka decided to retire. This was the first time in her career that she retired from a match due to an injury. While many had expected her to return for Wimbledon, things did not go as planned for her. 

Ahead of her first-round clash, Sabalenka took to her Twitter and expressed how heartbroken she was about not being able to play. “I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not cooperating,” she wrote. Meanwhile, Gauff is currently busy turning things around for herself at Wimbledon.

‘I’m a little bit emotional because..’ Coco Gauff’s sensational admission after storming into the second round

Gauff first announced herself to the tennis world back in 2019 when she roared in the SW19 with a first-round win over Venus Williams. However, she failed to achieve bigger at the venue last year and saw a first-round defeat to Sofia Kenin. As the American tennis star has now stormed past Caroline Dolehide in style, she cannot help getting emotional. 

Speaking at the post-match conference, Gauff revealed the importance of the match to her. “Last year I lost first round here, and it was a very tough moment for me,” Gauff said on the court. “I’m a little bit emotional because it’s been a long year but it’s incredible how I was able to turn it around.”

As the tournament progresses, it will be interesting to see if the World No. 2 can win yet another Grand Slam. Can she break through her limitations to conquer the fastest surface in the game?