'I completely lost it in Paris - the lesson is learned'

Aryna Sabalenka is the world number one and serial Grand Slam finalist who by her own admission can "lose control" of her emotions when the biggest prizes in tennis are on the line.

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Wimbledon therefore presents Sabalenka not only with an opportunity to chase a fourth Grand Slam title, but also the chance to turn a humbling experience into a turning point.

The 27-year-old has reached the Australian Open and French Open finals this year but has lost both title matches, and after falling to defeat by Coco Gauff in Paris three weeks ago she spoke in unflattering terms about her conqueror that she later acknowledged had been "completely unprofessional".

Her immediate verdict was that Gauff was able to win "not because she played incredible" but because of Sabalenka's own misses from "easy balls".

Sabalenka labelled her own performance "just a joke" and said of Gauff: "Honestly, sometimes it felt like she was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow magically the ball lands in the court, and you are kind of on the back foot."

The comments were widely seen as not giving Gauff sufficient credit for the American's second Grand Slam title - and the second to come at Sabalenka's expense, after their 2023 US Open final also went Gauff's way.