Roland Garros Takes Major Decision to Avoid Australian Open Backlash Involving Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff lost to Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Stuttgart Open.

Roland Garros Takes Major Decision to Avoid Australian Open Backlash Involving Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff (Image via X/Coco Gauff)

In Short
  • Coco Gauff expressed frustration after her Australian Open exit, leading to a viral incident of her breaking a racket.
  • Roland Garros has banned behind-the-scenes cameras in player areas to protect player privacy following backlash from incidents like Gauff's.
  • Gauff humorously referred to herself as the "Walmart version" of Rafael Nadal during an interview after her match at the Stuttgart Open.

After her Australian Open exit this year, Coco Gauff let her anger out by breaking her racket. Gauff was dismantled by Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals, and on her way to the locker room, she smashed her racket and destroyed it completely.

Gauff thought no one had seen her act, but realized it only when the same clip went viral. The Australian Open has behind-the-scenes cameras installed almost everywhere at the venue.

The reason behind this is the tournament’s attempt to provide more content about the players to the fans. But players are not at all fans of the behind-the-scenes cameras, which may end up capturing their private moments, like the aforementioned incident involving Gauff.

To avoid similar controversy, Roland Garros has banned the cameras from the players’ areas. Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo, without taking the tournament’s name (Aryna Sabalenka was caught destroying her racket after her 2023 US Open defeat to Gauff), said that tennis needs to “maintain respect for privacy“. She told reporters:

Players need a private area, something which will not change. No cam access.

Gauff, at the press conference after her defeat in the Melbourne Slam, criticized the tournament and asked for more off-camera spaces for the players. Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek also brutally criticized the tournament, with the latter asking: “Are we tennis players or animals in the zoo?“

ATX Open, a WTA 250 tournament, introduced the rage room, where players can vent their frustration without the fear of cameras capturing their every moment. Gauff did not feature in the tournament.

Coco Gauff calls herself the Walmart version of Rafael Nadal

Coco Gauff was bidding to end her title drought in the ongoing Stuttgart Open, but she failed to progress to the semifinals. Karolina Muchova registered a three-set victory over the American ace.

Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff (Image via X/Quindici Zero)

Prior to her exit, the two-time Grand Slam singles champion eliminated Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets, and during the on-court interview afterward, Gauff compared herself with the legendary Rafael Nadal, jokingly calling herself the Walmart version of the King of Clay.

Yeah, I mean, I started off a little bit rough, had some break point opportunities in the first game, but yeah, happy to get through today. I never really have easy first-round matches here in Stuttgart, so I guess the trend continued a little bit today, but yeah, I’m happy to be in the next round.

The 22-year-old reached just one final this year. In her career’s first Miami Open title clash, she lost to World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.

I mean, the greatest clay court player is Rafa, but I don’t quite play like him, but I do try to hit my forehand like he does on clay. I don’t run around as much because my forehand isn’t as good as Rafa, but I try to hit like him, so I guess him, and then, I don’t know, it’s just me and him. I don’t know. Like a Walmart version of Rafa. I don’t want to be like obliterated online, like a lesser version of Rafa, okay?

Coco Gauff added

The next tournament Gauff is set to play is the Madrid Open, the main draw of which begins on April 21. Gauff was the finalist in the Spanish capital last year, losing the title to Sabalenka.

She also lost the Italian Open final to home favorite Jasmine Paolini. But Gauff, in the French Open final, took her revenge on Sabalenka. So far in her career, Gauff has won two clay-court titles. Gauff has yet to capture a trophy since the 2025 Wuhan Open.

Also read: Boris Becker Sends ‘Unique’ Novak Djokovic Grand Slam Warning to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz