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Tennis star Coco Gauff left fans emotional after sharing a heartfelt message following her exit at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, the 21-year-old player faced off against Aryna Sabalenka after falling in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-2, in a hard-fought semifinal clash. The last time Gauff and the Belarusian star had battled on court was during the final of the French Open 2025 back in June, where the American player secured the title and defeated Sabalenka 6–7(5), 6-2, 6-4. With this win, the world no. 1 shared how motivated she was to avenge her earlier loss at Roland Garros. “Going into this match, I wasn’t thinking about how to get through it, I was thinking how to get the win,” Sabalenka told Sky Sports, adding, “It doesn’t matter what is going on in our group. I was just trying to focus on the tennis and try and get revenge after Roland Garros, and that was my focus.” Despite the devastating loss, the two-time Grand Slam winner is keeping her spirits high as she shared a heartfelt post on Instagram. Gauff highlighted the key moments during the matchup while also showcasing a striking look at the WTA semifinals. She donned a head-to-toe lilac ensemble and completed the look with her second signature shoe, the Coco CG2. In addition to this, she also delivered a message to her supporters and expressed how “honored” she is to be part of the competition. “Always an honor to be a part of and compete against the top 8 in the world, thank you Riyadh,” she wrote. Gauff’s Instagram post was flooded with messages of support and love from her fans. Most of her fans expressed pride in watching the tennis star flourish. “Soo proud of you, Coco..It wasn’t meant to repeat this time around..More records will be broken, trust that..The final 4 is after what u already have..Stay blessed and 2026 bout to be LIT,” one wrote. “Sooooo proud of you, Coco!! Congrats on this season and good luck for the next one,” a second user said. “Very impressed by the improvement in the serves and forehand ! Great job. 2026 is going to be great,” another added. “Still a whole lot of years ahead of you. I am enjoying the journey. It will definitely get better as you get stronger, mentally and physically. I love you, enjoy your short off-season,” a follower echoed. The same goes for another commenter who said, “Great season, Coco! We are so proud of you!” While Sabalenka advances to the next round, continuing her march toward the finals, the 2025 Roland Garros winner will likely take some well-deserved time off to recharge and prepare for the challenges ahead.
