VIDEO SHOWS: COCO GAUFF SMASHING RACKET AFTER LOSING TO ELINA SVITOLINA / SOUNDBITES FROM GAUFF SHOWS: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (JANUARY 27, 2026) (TENNIS AUSTRALIA – See restrictions) 1. FOOTAGE TAKEN FROM A WARM UP AREA OF COCO GAUFF SMASHING RACKET AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN AFTER QUARTER FINAL LOSS 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COCO GAUFF SAYING ON THE INCIDENT BEING BROADCAST: "Yeah, I kind of have a thing with the broadcast. I feel like certain moments — the same thing happened to Aryna after I played her in final of US 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 racquets, but I lost 1 and 2. I broke one racquet on quarters, I think, or round of 16 of French Open, I think, and I said I would never do it again on court, because I don't feel like that's a good representation. But yeah, 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." 3. WHITE FLASH 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COCO GAUFF SAYING ON WHY SHE DIDN'T SMASH RACQUET ON COURT: "For me, I know myself, and 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. So, yeah, I just took the minute to go and do that. Yeah, 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. 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." STORY: Coco Gauff's bid for a third Grand Slam title went up in smoke at the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-1 6-2 defeat by Ukrainian Elina Svitolina on Tuesday (January 27), after the third seed endured a nightmare on serve. And to make matters worse, footage of her smashing her racket afterwards in a warm up area was broadcast, much to her dismay. "I kind of have a thing with the broadcast," she told a news conference. "I feel like certain moments, 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 racquets. "Maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room." The result meant 12th seed Svitolina marched into the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the first time in her career, after three previous quarter-final finishes, keeping alive the 31-year-old's hopes of a maiden major title. (Production: Simon Ormiston, Iain Axon)
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