French Open and Wimbledon urged to make big change after Aryna Sabalenka backlash | Tennis | Sport

Tennis legend Jimmy Connors has urged the bosses of big tournaments like Wimbledon and the French Open to consider delaying post-match interviews for the losing finalist. His suggestion comes after Aryna Sabalenka caused uproar by suggesting that her Roland-Garros defeat was down to her own mistakes, rather than Coco Gauff‘s superiority.

An emotional Sabalenka blew a one-set lead over Gauff to lose 7-6 2-6 4-6 on Saturday. Afterwards, she said: “I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes. If Iga [Swiatek] would have beaten me [in the semis], I think she would go out and get the win [in the final].”

Former tennis star and coach Rennae Stubbs was among those to publicly criticise Sabalenka, saying: “That was so bad, and there’s no excuses for it. Like, there’s just none. No, no, no. And that’s coming from me who, as I said, I’ve said some stuff in press. Like, you never take it away from your opponent.”

But American hero Connors, who won eight Grand Slam singles titles during a glittering career, does not believe that the blame lies solely on Sabalenka’s shoulders. And the 72-year-old feels that players could benefit from being given time to let the dust settle before stepping up to the microphone.

He told Advantage Connors: “After a tough match, whether it’s the finals of the French or Wimbledon or whatever, everyone wants to hear your thoughts right away.

“Maybe it would be better to give you five minutes and let the players take a breath – but they [the media] want to hear it right away, they want the scoop. And then they are critical of it. That’s why it’s always been a crawl in my whatever.

“These guys think they know what they are talking about when they have not done it. You can sit there and say I have seen this and I have watched so much tennis, I know what’s in your mind. You don’t know what’s in my mind! You have no clue.”

Gauff, who is now a two-time Grand Slam champion at only 21 years old, did not buy into Sabalenka’s comments. She said: “I don’t agree with that. I’m sitting here [as the winner].

“Last time I played – no shade to Iga or anything, but I played her and I won in straight sets. Yeah, I don’t think that’s a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen.”