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Jan 27, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Coco Gauff of United States in motion in opposition to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine within the quarterfinals of the ladies’s singles on the Australian Open at Rod Laver Area in Melbourne Park. Necessary Credit score: Mike Frey-Imagn Pictures Two of the highest girls’s tennis gamers have thrown their help behind Coco Gauff and her want for gamers to have media-restricted areas the place they’ll go for privateness.
Gauff, 21, introduced up privateness issues after she was filmed smashing her racket off the courtroom following the World No. 3’s loss to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine within the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Wednesday. She inspired “conversations” about simply how a lot entry the media has to gamers between the courtroom and the locker room.
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 6 Jessica Pegula echoed Gauff’s issues after their quarterfinal matches.
“The query is, are we tennis gamers or are we, like, animals within the zoo the place they’re noticed even after they poop, ?” mentioned Poland’s Swiatek, who misplaced within the quarterfinals to Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan on Thursday. “OK, that was exaggerating clearly, however it might be good to have some privateness.
“It could be good additionally to, I do not know, have your personal course of and never all the time be, like, noticed.”
Pegula, who defeated fellow American Amanda Anisimova to advance to the semifinal spherical, agreed.
“Coco wasn’t fallacious when she mentioned the one place is the locker room,” Pegula mentioned about privateness afforded to gamers. “We’re on the courtroom on TV, you come inside, you are on TV. Actually the one time you are not being recorded is when you are going to bathe and going to the lavatory. I believe that is one thing we have to in the reduction of on for certain.”
Gauff smashed her racket in frustration in opposition to the concrete flooring close to the gamers’ space. She mentioned she did not need followers to see her vent her feelings so she selected a spot she thought was secure off the courtroom.
“Sure moments — the identical factor occurred to Aryna (Sabalenka) after I performed her within the remaining of the U.S. Open — I really feel like they need not broadcast,” Gauff mentioned after her 6-1, 6-2 loss. “I attempted to go someplace the place I believed there wasn’t a digital camera as a result of I do not essentially like breaking rackets.”
–Discipline Stage Media
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