‘Animals In A Zoo’: Players Back Gauff Call For More Privacy

Coco Gauff called herself “a real person with real feelings” Wednesday as fellow players backed a call for more privacy during tournaments, with Iga Swiatek saying they felt like “animals in the zoo” and Serena Williams defending her.

Third seed Gauff was upset when cameras caught her smashing her racquet in the depths of the stadium on Tuesday after she was beaten in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

The American was trying to find somewhere private to let out her frustrations and said she did not want to do so in front of fans including children.

“I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously they did,” Gauff said soon after.

“So maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”

A day after footage of her actions went viral online, Gauff posted on X: “I’m a real person with real feelings. I care a lot & I’m trying my best. Thank you to those who understand that.”

United States great Williams came to her defence, writing on X: “Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose.”

Swiatek, who was also bundled out of the quarter-finals in Melbourne, by Elena Rybakina, said back-stage cameras could be too intrusive.

“The question is, are we tennis players, or are we animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop, you know?,” the world number two said.

“Okay, that was exaggerating obviously, but it would be nice to have some privacy. It would be nice also to, I don’t know, have your own process and not always be observed.

“It would be nice to have some space where you can do that without the whole world watching.”

Swiatek was caught up in her own off-court drama this week when she was denied access to an area in Melbourne Park because she was not wearing her accreditation.

It was recorded on camera and the clip did the rounds on social media.

“I don’t think it should be like that because we’re tennis players,” she said.

“We’re meant to be watched on the court and in the press. That’s our job. It’s not our job to be a meme when you forget your accreditation.”

Sixth seed Jessica Pegula, who beat Amanda Anisimova to make the last four, agreed that the cameras off court were too intrusive.

“Coco wasn’t wrong when she said the only place (that is private) is the locker room, which is crazy,” she said.

“You’re just kind of going about your day. To feel like someone is constantly filming you…

“I saw online people were zooming in on players’ phones and stuff like that.

“That’s so unnecessary. I just think it’s really an invasion of privacy.”

Anisimova was less bothered by the scrutiny, saying: “I just keep my head down”.

But she also agreed with Gauff that it was wrong for her private moment to be so public.

“There are good moments, obviously that people see, and that’s fun,” she said.

“Then when you lose, there are probably not-so-good moments. I think the fact that the video of Coco that was posted, you know, it’s tough, because she didn’t have a say in that.”