Coco Gauff has hinted at the possibility of discussing the incident where she smashed her racket following her departure from the Australian Open. Gauff, the third seed, suffered a significant 6-1 6-2 loss to Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals, lasting only 59 minutes, before seeking a private area off the court to release her frustrations.
The moment when Gauff destroyed her racket was caught on camera, prompting the two-time Grand Slam champion to raise concerns about the diminishing privacy for players at major tournaments with footage of such incidents being widely circulated almost instantly.
The video of Gauff venting her emotions by hitting her racket against the floor spread rapidly, and it was broadcast on television shortly after. Gauff admitted that she attempted to find a spot without cameras, as she believes that certain moments, like this one, do not need to be publicized.
Gauff intended to express her emotions in private, unaware that cameras were present almost everywhere. She expressed her hope that this situation will not be repeated in the future, as reported by the Express.
She explained, “I tried to go somewhere I thought was camera-free because I don’t like breaking rackets, but after losing 1 and 2, I broke a racket in the quarter or round of 16 of the French Open, and I said I would never do it again on court because it doesn’t reflect well.”
Gauff expressed her desire for discussions to address the lack of privacy for players at tournaments, as she believes that the only private space available is the locker room.
Despite the attention drawn by the footage of Gauff damaging her racket, it provided her with a chance to release her frustrations before rejoining her team.
When asked if this helped her move on from the defeat, Gauff affirmed, “Yes, definitely. I know myself, and I don’t want to take out my frustrations on my team. They are good people who don’t deserve that. I recognize my emotions and need to release them without affecting those around me negatively.”
Known for her resilience, Gauff struggled to recover after Svitolina took an early lead. Reflecting on the defeat, Gauff mentioned that her usual strengths did not perform well that day, crediting Svitolina for forcing her into that situation.
