After Coco Gauff lost big at the Australian Open on Tuesday, January 27, she took it out on her racket. Now she’s speaking out about the private moment being captured by cameras.
The tennis star, who is currently No. 3 in the world, fell to Elina Svitolina, who was ranked No. 12, in a 6-1, 6-2 upset that saw her commit five double faults, according to The New York Post. The match lasted less than an hour.
In a behind-the-scenes moment that was caught on-camera immediately after the match, the French Open champ, 21, calmly walks to a ramp and suddenly begins slamming her racket repeatedly into the ground in front of a handful of onlookers.
“I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn’t a camera because I don’t necessarily like breaking rackets,” Gauff, who was favored to win the Australian Open before the poor performance against Svitolina, later revealed to reporters, per CNN. “I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously, they did. So, yeah, maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”
While she’s sorry that cameras captured her in that private moment, Gauff defended her decision to vent her frustration over the loss in that way.
“I don’t want to lash out on my team. They’re good people. They don’t deserve that, and I know I’m emotional,” she explained.
“I just took the minute to go and do that. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Like I said, I don’t try to do it on court in front of kids and things like that, but I do know I need to let out that emotion,” she added. “Otherwise, I’m just going to be snappy with the people around me, and I don’t want to do that because, like I said, they don’t deserve it. They did their best. I did mine. Just need to let the frustration out.”
Read More From Globe
- Matthew Stafford’s Wife Shares His Sweet Moment With Daughters After Losing NFC Championship
- Anonymous Oscar Voter Claims Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s Bizarre Behavior ‘Creeped People Out’
- John Mulaney Helps Financially Support Olivia Munn’s ‘Large Vietnamese Family’: ‘Brings Me Great Joy’
This story Tennis Pro Coco Gauff Defends Smashing Racket Backstage After Loss: ‘I Don’t Think It’s a Bad Thing’ first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
