Gauff calls for more player privacy after racquet smash

Coco Gauff called for more privacy for players after she was captured smashing a racquet following a devastating defeat by Elina Svitolina in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

A despondent Gauff, 21, served five double faults, made 26 unforced errors and hit just three winners in a 6-1 6-2 loss that took just 59 minutes.

The American did not smash the racquet on court but was filmed by the tournament’s behind-the-scenes coverage in the players’ area, with the footage broadcast on TV and social media.

Gauff said she had made a conscious effort to suppress her emotions until she was away from public view.

She referenced a similar incident at the 2023 US Open, when Aryna Sabalenka was captured smashing her racquet after losing the final to Gauff.

“I tried to go somewhere where there was no cameras,” said Gauff.

“Certain moments – the same thing happened to Aryna after I played her in the US Open final – I feel like they don’t need to broadcast.

“Maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like, at this tournament, the only private place we have is the locker room.”

On why she felt the need to smash her racquet in the aftermath, Gauff said: “I don’t want to lash out on my team. They don’t deserve that.

“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.”

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said players need privacy during an emotionally taxing tournament.

“There are cameras absolutely everywhere and players need to have quiet areas,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

“That’s the only sanctuary a well-known tennis player really gets other than their hotel room.

“Players have got to be in the locker room and their hotel room to have any sort of privacy – that’s not really right.”

Gauff had demonstrated her resilience with back-to-back three-set wins to reach the quarter-finals, but she was never able to gain a foothold against Svitolina.

The Ukrainian 12th seed was ruthless, taking six of her seven break point opportunities to reach a first Australian Open semi-final.

Having made a tour-leading 431 double faults last season – 131 more than any other player – Gauff has made a concerted effort to improve her serve, hiring biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, who previously helped Sabalenka.

Sabalenka, the 2023 and 2024 winner, said her mentality is “trophy or nothing” after overpowering rising American star Jovic.

The 27-year-old Belarusian, who has a favourable 5-1 head-to-head record against Svitolina, has now made the semi-final stage at 14 of the past 17 majors she has contested.

She has become only the third women’s player to reach eight consecutive singles semi-finals at Grand Slams in the past 38 years, after Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis.

Sabalenka has reached this year’s semi-finals at Melbourne Park without dropping a set, taking her winning streak at the start of 2026 to 10 matches and 20 consecutive sets.

Having lost two Grand Slam finals last year – first in Melbourne and then at the French Open – Sabalenka defended her US Open crown in September and is the heavy favourite to regain her Australian Open title on her most successful surface.

Sabalenka, who has won 19 of her 22 career titles on hard courts, said: “I think every player, when they get to the tournament, is trophy or nothing.

Sabalenka’s quarter-final against 18-year-old Jovic was played in intense heat exceeding 40C, with the Australian Open’s heat stress scale hitting the cut-off mark shortly after the conclusion of their match.

The roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena as Sabalenka conducted her post-match interview.

Jovic described Sabalenka, who has worked on controlling her emotions on court to achieve consistency at the sport’s biggest tournaments, as “very inspiring”.