This week on The Joe Budden Podcast, the crew dove deep into Coco Gauff’s monumental French Open victory and the controversy sparked by comments made by her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka, after the match. While Gauff made history as the first American woman to win the French Open since Serena Williams, the post-match spotlight was dimmed slightly by Sabalenka’s emotional and seemingly dismissive press conference.
Mel was quick to champion Coco, pointing out the historic importance of her win and commending her poise both on and off the court. But the conversation quickly pivoted to Sabalenka’s reaction after the match, in which the world No. 1 downplayed Gauff’s performance, suggesting she only lost due to “unforced errors” and mental slip-ups on her part.
That didn’t sit right with the crew. Joe sharply labeled the behavior as “bad sportsmanship” and “typical mediocre white woman tears,” while others jumped in to debate whether the moment should be interpreted as a racial slight, elite athlete mindset, or simply a raw emotional response.
Parks and Ice didn’t hold back, calling Sabalenka’s podium presence “nasty,” not because she lost, but because she tried to undermine Gauff’s win. “You got beat. Say the better player won and move on,” Ice stressed, while Parks added that blaming the loss solely on her own errors implies that Coco wasn’t even a challenge — a move that unfairly stripped Gauff of the credit she earned.
Mel added nuance, pointing out the broader media framing — how white athletes are often coddled in loss, while Black athletes like Coco are forced to maintain grace, even when disrespected. She tied this moment to what she called the “white fragility machine,” emphasizing how public sympathy often shifts toward the crying white athlete, even when they’re the one throwing shade.
The crew saluted Coco’s mature response the next morning on Good Morning America, where she offered grace to Sabalenka, chalking the comments up to post-match emotion. Joe and Ish praised Coco for “knowing better” and showing professionalism beyond her years. “That’s what greatness looks like,” Joe said. “She didn’t need to win the interview too — but she did.”
Ish and Flip offered a bit of balance, suggesting that elite athletes often internalize losses as self-defeats. “It’s common for athletes to think, ‘Only I can beat me,’” Ish argued. Flip added that this may not be about race or disrespect, but about the inflated expectations placed on #1-ranked players who don’t expect to lose.
But others in the room weren’t so forgiving. They pointed out that while self-criticism is normal, diminishing the opponent in the process is where it crosses the line. “You can own your mistakes without disrespecting your competitor,” Ice said.
Mel made a sharp comparison between Coco Gauff’s media treatment and the Angel Reese/Caitlin Clark dynamic in NCAA women’s basketball. “The media praises Clark’s fire and grit, but when Angel does the same thing, it’s labeled unsportsmanlike,” she noted. Joe pushed back slightly, saying the French context and overall disdain for Americans may complicate the issue, but acknowledged Mel’s point on media bias and racial double standards.
While opinions varied on how much grace Sabalenka deserved, the Joe Budden Podcast crew unanimously agreed that Coco Gauff handled the situation like a champion, both in competition and in composure.
“We’re spending all this time talking about the white lady instead of just celebrating how dope Coco is. That’s the trap,” Joe concluded.
