Coco Gauff Expresses Frustration After Australian Open Loss

Coco Gauff's path at this year's Australian Open ended in the quarterfinals with a loss to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday. Svitolina dominated the match in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, reaching the semifinals in just 59 minutes.

Gauff, seeded third, was aiming for her third major title. But after her defeat, she showed her frustration by smashing a racket. She thought it was a private moment at Rod Laver Arena, but cameras captured it, and the footage was aired.

At a press conference later, Gauff talked about the incident. "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. I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn’t a camera because I don’t necessarily like breaking rackets," said Gauff to Sports Illustrated.

She wanted privacy, but cameras seem to be everywhere except locker rooms. Complaints about privacy might not change broadcast practices much.

Svitolina's win extended her winning streak in 2026 to ten matches. Earlier, she won her 19th title in Auckland. Her victory in Melbourne marks her fourth Grand Slam semifinal appearance. They are tied in head-to-heads at 2-2, with Svitolina leading 2-0 at the Australian Open, including a 2021 win.

Throughout the match, Gauff struggled with her serve while Svitolina effectively used her forehand and depth. Certainly, this victory over the world No. 3 was impressive, completed in less than an hour.

Before this match, Gauff had beaten Svitolina twice in 2024, coming back from a set down in Auckland and in the U.S. Open third round. This latest match changes their dynamic.