(Video) Coco Gauff Destroys Racket on Way to Locker Room After Australian Open Exit

Elina Svitolina improved her head-to-head record over Coco Gauff to 2-2 after downing her in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

(Video) Coco Gauff Destroys Racket on Way to Locker Room After Australian Open Exit

Coco Gauff destroyed her racket after her Australian Open exit (Image via X/Coco Gauff, The Tennis Letter)

Coco Gauff was no match for Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Australian Open held on Tuesday (January 27). The American ace, who was chasing her career’s first Australian Open title, has crashed out once again with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat in just 59 minutes.

Frustrations got the better of the two-time Grand Slam singles champion following another disappointment. On her way to the locker room, Gauff, who committed five double faults during the match, released her frustrations by smashing her racket multiple times before destroying it.

Watch the video here:

Gauff, a one-time semifinalist in Melbourne, also crashed out of the quarterfinals last year, losing to Paula Badosa. Svitolina was responsible for Gauff’s exit in the 2021 Australian Open second round.

The latest win helped Svitolina progress to the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the first time in her career. Prior to this year, she made three quarterfinals, including last year.

Svitolina, who secured her career’s fifth top 5 win, has extended her winning streak to 10 matches, as before arriving in Melbourne, she lifted the ASB Classic, her 19th singles title, against Wang Xinyu. The World No.12 will be playing in her career’s fourth Grand Slam semifinal. So far this year, the Ukrainian ace has dropped just one set- against Sonay Kartal in the quarterfinals in Auckland.

Elina Svitolina secures a top 10 ranking spot after knocking out Coco Gauff

Elina Svitolina, who also knocked out eighth seed Mirra Andreeva, is back at the top 10 in the live rankings after dismantling Coco Gauff. She will be returning to the top 10 for the first time since October 2021.

Elina Svitolina (2)
Elina Svitolina (Image via X/WTA)

Not bad, not bad at all. I’m very pleased with the tournament so far. And of course, always been my dream to come back after maternity leave. It was my dream to come back in top 10. It’s always been my goal. Unfortunately, didn’t happen last year. I stopped after September. When we were training in the off-season, I told my coach, ‘I want to come back in top 10 still’. This was my goal for this year.

Elina Svitolina said during her on-court interview

Svitolina has become the second player from Ukraine to make the Australian Open semifinals after Dayana Yastremska in 2024. In her previous three Grand Slam semifinals, the 31-year-old lost to Simona Halep (2019 Wimbledon), Serena Williams (2019 US Open), and Marketa Vondrousova (Wimbledon 2023).

It means the world to me. Of course, I try to push myself. I try to give myself this motivation to continue. Very pleased with the performance at this tournament in Australia. Overall, it’s been a good trip for me. Really happy to go through to the semifinals.

Elina Svitolina added

But the next challenge will be nothing but tough as Svitolina will be up against World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has two Australian Open singles titles to her name. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion boasts a 5-1 head-to-head lead over the former World No.3, last meeting her in the semifinals of last year’s Madrid Open, which Sabalenka later won by defeating Gauff. The lone victory that Svitolina registered was in the semifinals of the 2020 Strasbourg Open.

Sabalenka tasted glory for the first time in the Major Down Under in 2023 against Elena Rybakina. She defended her crown the following season against Qinwen Zheng. Sabalenka then made three back-to-back finals but failed to go past Madison Keys last year. The Belarusian is also on a 10-match winning streak, as she defended her Brisbane International title by downing Marta Kostyuk.

Also read: (Video) Jelena Ostapenko Furiously Hits the Ball at her Australian Open Opponent in a Tense Moment