Aryna Sabalenka’s post-match comments after her exit from Roland Garros have once again captured the attention.
This comes just shy of a year after her reaction to losing the final here in Paris landed her in hot water, with many pundits criticising Sabalenka for what she said following that defeat.
On this particular occasion, the outcome has not been so volatile, but more sympathetic given the heavy nature of her claims.
After all, when the world number one claims she wants to ‘quit tennis’ after a loss, it is bound to draw attention.
Marion Bartoli disagrees with Aryna Sabalenka’s comments after losing at Roland Garros
That being said, it feels like Marion Bartoli is the only one seeing sense in this situation.
After all, whilst Venus Williams said it would be a shame for Sabalenka to retire, resulting in Sabalenka confirming she would not be quitting tennis, the Frenchwoman has provided possibly the only rational reaction.
Speaking to Prime Video France, she stated: “It’s very clear that, psychologically, she’s in a terrible state and completely devastated by this defeat.”
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Bartoli continued: “There’s a lot of hatred inside her, since she says, ‘Tomorrow, I’m going to a room where, you know, we can smash everything to let off steam,’ because there’s so much anger inside her.
“And she also tells you, ‘Right now, I want to quit tennis.’ For me, today, as a coach, after defeats, some players say that: ‘I want to put down my rackets, never see a tennis court again,’ because of the immense disappointment.
“And the disappointment takes over from the love of the sport. And it’s true that what makes it difficult is that during these press conferences, there might be fifty journalists in the room, but they’re picked up all over the world today thanks to social media.
“And, worldwide, with social media, perhaps the headline that will appear in newspapers will be: ‘Aryna Sabalenka is going to quit tennis,’ even though that’s not what she truly believes. It’s just a reaction of disappointment.”
Aryna Sabalenka’s historical performance at Wimbledon
It seems strange that, for someone who has been so ever-present at the apex of the sport for so long, this will mark just Aryna Sabalenka’s seventh appearance at Wimbledon.
The hope is that she will bounce back from this Roland Garros disappointment with success on the grass, a surface which should play to her strengths.
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However, despite this, the world number one has never reached a final at the All England Club.
In her last three appearances, in 2021, 2023 and 2025, Sabalenka has lost in the semi-finals.
Her 16 wins and six losses represent just a 73% win rate, thus making it, statistically, her worst-performing Grand Slam.
