Coco Gauff doesn’t often let frustration spill into public view. That’s part of why the moment caught so much attention.
After her straight-sets loss to Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open, cameras caught Gauff smashing her racket while exiting the court. The clip spread quickly across social media, replayed and dissected as fans debated whether the normally composed star had finally cracked under pressure. But for Gauff, the bigger issue wasn’t the broken racket. It was the lack of space to process disappointment away from the spotlight.
The 20-year-old later addressed the moment with a level of honesty that felt both vulnerable and grounded. She explained that she deliberately tried to find a place without cameras before letting her emotions out, saying she doesn’t like breaking rackets and doesn’t feel it reflects who she is as a player or person. Losing 6–1, 6–2 stung, and in that moment, she wanted privacy, not an audience.
Coco Gauff pointed out that at the Australian Open, the locker room is essentially the only space where players aren’t being filmed. Everywhere else, from hallways to practice areas, cameras are waiting. For athletes competing at the highest level, especially young ones, that constant surveillance can make even private emotions feel public.
Gauff has been in the global spotlight since her teens, carrying expectations few athletes her age ever face. She’s already made history, becoming one of the youngest American players since Venus and Serena Williams to reach the upper tier of the sport before turning 22. With that success comes scrutiny, and moments of vulnerability often get flattened into viral clips.
The loss itself was disappointing. Coco Gauff has never won the Australian Open, though she has come close. Last year, she exited in the quarterfinals, and in 2024 she reached the semifinals before falling to Aryna Sabalenka. Her résumé remains impressive. Eleven career WTA singles titles. A U.S. Open crown. A WTA Finals victory. A French Open singles and doubles title. At No. 3 in the world with over 6,400 ranking points, she’s still very much in her prime.
For many fans, especially Black audiences who have watched stars like Serena Williams be relentlessly policed for their emotions, Gauff’s comments hit a familiar nerve.
Coco Gauff didn’t excuse the racket smash. She owned it. But she also asked a fair question: where are players supposed to go when they need a moment to breathe?
As the clip continues to circulate, her message may outlast the viral moment itself.
