Two-time Grand Slam champion says "some conversations can be had" after private racket smash makes headlines following quarter-final defeat
Coco Gauff may have lost in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open to Elina Svitolina by a chastening 6-1, 6-2 scoreline, but the two-time Grand Slam champion can walk away from Melbourne with her head held high after calling out the lack of privacy on the grounds at Melbourne Park.
Prior to Tuesday night’s 59-minute defeat to the Ukrainian 12th seed, Gauff had played all of her previous matches in the day, in lively conditions due to the searing heat. Gauff also revealed afterwards that she found out the roof on Rod Laver Arena would be closed shortly before walking on to court.
“I hadn’t played with the roof closed,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I felt like the ball was slower. Obviously I’ve been playing mainly day with the roof open and hot conditions.”
Gauff, always gracious in defeat, was quick to verify the conditions were not the reason why she lost and praised Svitolina for her performance. “I credit it to her because she forced me to play like that,” she said. “It’s not like I just woke up and, yeah, today was a bad day. Bad days are often caused by your opponent.”
Shortly after the match, and before facing up to the media, the 21-year-old American smashed a racket in the player corridor that connects to Rod Laver Arena. Unfortunately for Gauff, who thought she was having a private moment, it was captured on one of the many cameras placed behind the scenes on the site and made worldwide headlines.
“I have a thing with the broadcast,” said Gauff when asked about the incident. “I feel like 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. I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn’t a camera because I don’t necessarily like breaking rackets, but I lost one and two.
“I broke one racket on court, quarters I think or round-of-16 of French Open I think, and I said I would never do it again on court because I don’t feel like that’s a good representation. But yeah, I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it but obviously they did.
“So yeah, maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”
In 2023, the Sabalenka moment Gauff referenced opened a debate about player privacy at tournaments. At the time, Judy Murray criticised the decision to publish the footage, posting on X: “This footage should never have been made public. A private moment in an empty training room after the disappointment of losing a Grand Slam final.”
Like Murray, Serena Williams’s husband, Alexis Ohanian, also emphasised the fact that Gauff was having what should have been a “private moment”.
His X post read: “NGL I love this energy and emotion from @CocoGauff – we love sports because it’s raw, because these athletes put their ALL into the battle and sometimes (like life) you don't win. Media are gonna spin this private moment for a headline to get some clicks, but Coco did nothing wrong here.”
Gauff, who has been outspoken on a wide range of issues throughout her young career, will no doubt be having conversations with the powers that be at the Australian Open. While the behind-the-scenes access is insightful for fans and provides content for social media, consideration must be given to the players who deserve privacy, especially during vulnerable times.
Do not be surprised if changes are made come AO 27 and players, on both tours, will have Gauff to thank for restoring a basic right that everyone is entitled to.
Words by Eugene