It took Elina Svitolina just 59 minutes to beat the world number three, Coco Gauff, 6-1, 6-2 in a high-voltage QF clash at the Australian Open. Svitolina’s win over Gauff is her 24th career Top 5 win. But for the American, it’s yet another missed chance to clinch her first title in Melbourne. Gauff was so frustrated with the result that she was seen smashing her racket after the match. It was a moment that quickly went viral. There were buzzes about her angry outburst, but amid all that, Serena Williams‘ husband came forward to show support for the tennis star.

Alexis Ohanian has always been a huge admirer of Gauff. He recently tweeted in defense of Gauff. “NGL I love this energy and emotion from @CocoGauff — we love sports because it’s raw, because these athletes put their ALL into the battle, and sometimes (like life) you don’t win. Media are gonna spin this private moment for a headline to get some clicks, but Coco did nothing wrong here.”

Now, where did all these frustrations come from? Well, Elina Svitolina controlled nearly every aspect of the match, outperforming Coco Gauff in winners (12), first-serve win percentage (71%), break points converted (6/7), and total points won (57). The 21-year-old American struggled to find her rhythm as Svitolina asserted authority from the very first game, never allowing Gauff to settle into the contest. Understandably frustrated with her performance, she vented her emotions away from the court by smashing her racket.

We saw Alexis Ohanian defending Gauff’s emotional response, praising her passion and commitment to the sport. But he wasn’t the only one. Even the former US Open champion, Andy Roddick, echoed similar sentiments, voicing his support for Coco Gauff on his ‘Served’ podcast. Roddick emphasized that Gauff’s age and maturity are often overlooked and argued that athletes deserve private space to express their disappointment.

“Afterwards, all she wanted to do was to break a racket in privacy because she didn’t want to put it on the team? She is as buttoned up as any 21-year-old I think I’ve ever seen in this game. Everyone is talking about Andreeva, Jovic, and Mboko, and Tien is 20. Oh my gosh, Coco’s 21. She’s 21, and it gets forgotten in every conversation. Can she go somewhere where she can just detonate? Like, can she just be allowed to be pissed? Also, can there be a unisex place for people to have a private conversation and or break something?”

As fans debate her emotional outburst, one thing remains clear: Coco Gauff’s intensity stems from her relentless drive to win. And with influential voices like Ohanian and Roddick standing by her, the tennis world is being reminded that passion, vulnerability, and frustration are all part of an athlete’s journey.

Despite the Melbourne setback, Gauff’s future remains bright, and moments like these only highlight how much she truly cares about reaching the very top. But what did she say after the match? Did she say anything about her racket smash?

Coco Gauff calls for increasing players’ privacy following the racket-smash incident at the 2026 AO

Coco Gauff has once again found herself at the center of a heated tennis debate – this time over player privacy at Grand Slam events. Following her shock QF exit at the 2026 AO, she addressed the viral racket-smashing incident and urged broadcasters to respect players’ private moments away from the court.

Emotionally drained after the loss, the American attempted to step away from the public eye to process her frustration, but what she believed was a private moment was captured by television cameras and quickly circulated online. The footage, which showed Gauff smashing her racket in a restricted corridor, sparked comparisons with Aryna Sabalenka’s racket-smashing outburst after the 2023 US Open final.

This incident at the 2026 AO could result in a fine of up to $50,000 for racketeering, although precedent suggests a smaller penalty is more likely. Sabalenka, for instance, was reportedly fined $20,000 after breaking her racket following last year’s AO final.

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While Coco Gauff acknowledged her frustration, she made it clear that her main issue lies with how broadcasters handle sensitive moments involving players. “Yeah, I tried to go somewhere where there were no cameras. I have a bit of an issue with the broadcast. The same thing happened to Aryna [Sabalenka] after I played her in the US Open final. I feel like they don’t need to broadcast certain moments.”

The American superstar emphasized that she deliberately avoids breaking rackets on court and had stepped away specifically to keep her emotions out of public view. “I don’t necessarily like breaking rackets. I lost 1 and 2. I think the last time I broke one was at the French Open, and I told myself I wouldn’t do it again on court because I don’t think it’s a good representation. I tried to go somewhere I thought they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously they did. Maybe some conversations can be had, because at this tournament the only private place we really have is the locker room.”

Despite her disappointment, Coco Gauff reflected maturely on why she needed that private release, stressing that she didn’t want to redirect her frustration toward her team because she feels they’re good people who don’t deserve it. “I needed a minute to let the frustration out. Otherwise, I’d just be snappy with the people around me, and I don’t want to be that person.”

This defeat marks the second consecutive year Gauff was eliminated in the QF at the AO, following her SF run in 2023. Surely not the way she would’ve wanted to end her campaign in Melbourne. But still, there is a long way to go in this season.

Do you see her winning a major title this year, though?