Aryna Sabalenka is walking back her comments after losing to Coco Gauff in the French Open. The world No. 1, who battled windy conditions and a light mist in the final against the 21-year-old American, initially told reporters that Gauff “won the match not because she played incredible” but because “I made all of those mistakes.”

The top-ranked tennis star, 27, faced an online backlash after she initially appeared to downplay the second-ranked Gauff’s 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 victory, which marked the first time an American has won a singles title at the French Open since Serena Williams did so in 2015.

Coco Gauff won her first French Open title over the weekend, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She is the first American woman to win the title in a decade. Dan Wolken, a sports columnist for USA TODAY,