Just a couple of weeks ago, the French Open final on the WTA side was a thunderclap. Aryna Sabalenka edged the 1st set in a razor-tight tiebreaker, Coco Gauff clawed back the 2nd, and then, amid swirling winds, the American snatched the decider, dramatically taking the crown. But it wasn’t the result alone that sparked headlines; it was what Sabalenka said afterwards: “Not because she played incredible, [but] because I made all of those mistakes,” she said, following a staggering 70 unforced errors. Fast forward to Wimbledon, and Gauff now drops a loaded hint about her bond with Sabalenka. Curious what she said? You won’t see it coming.

Wimbledon’s Centre Court turned into an unexpected dance floor yesterday as American Coco Gauff and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka served up a moment no one saw coming. The world No. 1 and 2 swayed in sync to C+C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” a clip Wimbledon’s official IG couldn’t resist sharing. It wasn’t just a light-hearted jam; it was a striking symbol of unity, resilience, and the beautiful chaos of sport turning rivals into rhythm-bound allies.

But the story didn’t end there! On the Tennis Channel, X handle, a clip surfaced where Sabalenka cheekily asked Coco, “I wonder what you want us to chat about? Okay, are we still friends?” Without missing a beat, Gauff replied, “Yeah, we are good.” Sabalenka sealed it with a grin, declaring, “So you see, it’s all good guys, chill out.” Message sent: friendship restored, narrative flipped.

This wasn’t the first time Aryna Sabalenka felt the need to clear the air with Coco Gauff. In fact, the instinct to protect their bond had already surfaced just after their fiery French Open final clash. On Sunday, June 8, Sabalenka took to Instagram to own up to her performance, saying, “Yesterday was a tough one. Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win,” she admitted. “She was the better player yesterday, and I want to give her the credit she earned. You all know me… I’m always going to be honest and human in how I process these moments. I made over 70 unforced errors, so I can’t pretend it was a great day for me.”

But back then, things weren’t as breezy as their Wimbledon dance moment. In the post-match press conference after the final, Sabalenka stirred headlines again. She boldly remarked that had Iga Swiatek reached the final instead of her, the outcome might have gone Swiatek’s way. That jab didn’t go unnoticed. Gauff, never one to shy away, stood her ground with the poise of a true champion. “I mean, I don’t agree with that. I’m here sitting here [as the champion]. No shade to Iga or anything, but last time I played her I won in straight sets. I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen,” she fired back, calmly but firmly.

However, as strong women often do, they found a way to self-reflect and stitch things back together. Sabalenka faced the backlash, felt the weight, and pivoted. The very next day, she returned to Instagram and dropped a powerful truth. “But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward — not immediately, but recently. I wanted to apologise and make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her. I never intended to attack her.” Vulnerable, yet powerful, Sabalenka made it count.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, despite holding the French Open crown, still wrestles with grass. It’s no secret. After the Parisian glory, she stumbled in her very next match in Berlin. Her Wimbledon resume? An 11–5 record, never past the R16. Three times she’s reached that stage, and three times the dream has stopped short.

So, what’s the plan to crack the grass-court curse? If Coco wants to keep her champion’s fire burning, she’ll need more than just heart; she’ll need a new strategy, and fast.

Coco Gauff eyes Wimbledon breakthrough with bold strategy

Coco Gauff has dazzled on hard and clay courts, but grass still plays hard to get. Since bursting onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2019, the current second seed has yet to crack the All England Club code. In 6 years, her best outings have capped at the fourth round, most recently in 2024, where fellow American Emma Navarro sent her packing in straight sets.

This year, though, Gauff seems determined to flip the script. In a candid chat with Vogue, she opened up about her Wimbledon woes and how she plans to rewrite the story. “Grass has been trial and error for me. The biggest thing, I think, is just to be more aggressive,” she shared.

Gauff explained the contrast with precision: “On clay, you have a little more time; you can slide, you can use the height of the ball’s bounce a bit more. That’s less so on grass.” So what’s the new playbook? Simple—go big or go home. “More aggressively… and I want to serve a lot bigger.”

With new intent and sharpened weapons, Gauff’s eye is on the prize. Will she finally tame the grass and lift her first Wimbledon trophy? The world watches and waits.