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Australian Open Sees Coco Gauff’s Frustration Boil Over After Early Exit
Melbourne, Australia – American tennis sensation Coco Gauff, seeded No. 3 at the Australian Open, faced a disappointing early exit on Tuesday, falling to Elina Svitolina in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. The defeat led to a display of raw emotion from Gauff, who was caught on camera repeatedly smashing her racket in the tunnel on her way to the locker room.
The broadcast of the incident, however, did not sit well with the young star. Gauff expressed her disapproval in a post-match press conference, stating, “Certain moments – the same thing happened to Aryna (Sabalenka) after I played her in the final of the U.S.
Open – I feel like they don’t need to broadcast.” She explained that she had intentionally sought out a private space, believing it to be free of cameras, precisely to avoid such public displays.
Gauff emphasized her reluctance to break rackets, recalling a previous incident at the French Open and her subsequent vow not to repeat it on court. “I said I would never do it again on court because I don’t feel like that’s a good representation,” she noted, suggesting that a conversation about broadcasting such moments might be warranted.
Despite the visible frustration, Gauff defended her actions as a necessary release of emotion. She highlighted that directing her anger towards her equipment was preferable to her support staff.
“They’re good people. They don’t deserve that, and I know I’m emotional,” Gauff explained.
“So, yeah, I just took the minute to go and do that.”
She concluded by reiterating that while she avoids such displays on court, especially in front of children, she recognized the need to vent her emotions privately. Gauff has yet to win the Australian Open, with her best performance being a semifinal appearance in 2024 and a quarterfinal finish last year.