Coco Gauff calls for player privacy after Australian Open exit
Coco Gauff has called for more privacy for players after she was caught on camera smashing her racket following a shock Australian Open quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina. Gauff was left frustrated after her opponent needed less than an hour to progress through to the last four at Melbourne Park for the first time at the age of 31, reports BritPanorama.
After the second set, Gauff quickly walked off the court, visibly frustrated. She was captured by the tournament’s behind-the-scenes coverage, smashing her racket, which was broadcast on TV and social media.
Gauff stated, “I tried to go somewhere where there was no cameras. Certain moments, the same thing happened to Aryna (Sabalenka) after I played her in the final of the US Open. I feel like they don’t need to broadcast. So maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like, at this tournament, the only private place we have is the locker room.” She added, “I don’t want to lash out on my team. They’re good people. They don’t deserve that, and I know I’m emotional. So I just took the minute to go and do that.”
Gauff further commented, “I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I try not to do it on court in front of kids and things like that, but I do know I need to let out that emotion.” The tennis star has struggled since winning her second grand slam title at the French Open last year, particularly with her serve, reflected in her statistics of three winners and 26 unforced errors.
She explained, “I tried my best to be positive, but I just felt like nothing for me was working. That’s a bit frustrating when you are out there and feel like your strengths aren’t really doing their thing. There were many matches watching Serena (Williams) play that she would play bad and be able to scrap those out and win the title. I just need to figure out how to get through those bad days.”
The victory was a significant milestone for Svitolina, marking her fourth slam semi-final and second since she returned to the tour following the birth of her daughter, Skai, in 2022. Svitolina was among the players who took a break at the end of the last season for mental health reasons. On her return, she won the WTA tournament in Auckland and will now return to the top 10, preparing to face world number one Sabalenka, who has not dropped a set in the tournament.
Svitolina expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating, “I’m very pleased with the tournament so far and it’s always been my dream to come back after maternity leave in the top 10. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen last year, but I told my coach this was my goal for this season. It means the world to me. I try to push myself to give myself this motivation to continue.” She noted the challenging conditions during the match, adding, “At the end of the match, it was really hot out there. I’m glad they closed the roof almost halfway so we had a lot of shade in the back.”
With the competition intensifying, Gauff’s call for privacy underscores the pressures faced by athletes in the public eye. As tensions rise in the tournament, it remains to be seen how these challenges will shape the narrative both on and off the court.
