On Tuesday, Coco Gauff produced one of the worst performances of her career as she crashed out of the Australian Open in the quarter-finals.
Gauff, the third seed in Melbourne, turned in a ‘shocking’ display as she was thoroughly beaten by Elina Svitolina, 6-1, 6-2.
After the match, a frustrated Gauff was caught on television cameras walking back into the backrooms of the Rod Laver Arena before smashing her racket on the floor.
While Gauff’s actions were certainly not the best example to set, her actions were entirely understandable. The American was frustrated, and wisely chose to express her anger away from the court.
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After losing to Svitolina, Gauff discussed the racket smashing incident, calling for greater privacy for tennis players.
Coco Gauff’s racket smashing incident should never have been broadcast
There is one serious concern regarding this incident that Australian Open organisers need to address: player privacy.
Gauff was entirely correct in her assessment of yesterday’s developments: having television cameras present in the off-court areas of the Rod Laver Arena is not only an inappropriate decision, but one that calls into question how seriously Australian Open tournament organisers have considered player privacy in the lead-up to the event.
One can understand the appeal for a spotlight on players’ off-court actions. These types of incidents create drama and talking points that can be discussed by anyone with a vested interest in the sport.
However, as a sport, we must draw a line somewhere.
As Iga Swiatek noted, it would be good for players to have some privacy when they exit the court; and following the broadcast of Gauff’s racket smashing, Australian Open organisers need to consider removing television cameras from the hallways of Rod Laver Arena in order to protect players from unfair scrutiny and maintain the integrity of the sport.
What next for Coco Gauff?
After losing in Australia, Gauff will travel to the Middle East to take part in the Qatar Open in Doha.
The tournament, held from February 1 to 8, was last won by Amanda Anisimova.
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At last year’s event, Gauff struggled to make her mark. After receiving a first-round bye, Gauff lost to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 2-6, 5-7.
This year, Gauff will return to Doha alongside the likes of Anisimova, Mirra Andreeva and Victoria Mboko.
