"If you're getting really frustrated, and she was getting her ass kicked": Pat Rafter says Coco Gauff letting out frustration isn't always a bad thing
WTAThursday, 29 January 2026 at 11:08
The talk of the town in recent days has been centred around the players privacy behind the scenes after Coco Gauff was filmed trying to go somewhere quiet before smashing her racket into the ground. Players have stated their case, with two-time Grand Slam champion Pat Rafter explaining that there already is a private place: the locker room.
Gauff completed this task after an abysmal performance in a 6-1, 6-2 defeat to Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. Her serve was getting pounced upon once more, while a wayward forehand saw her usually very high level fall off as she struggled to get into the match.
Afterwards, in her fury and frustration she walked off backstage to find what she thought was a place to let out a little steam, taking it out on her racket which took a full brunt of a Gauff hammering. It was broadcasted on TVs around the world before it went very viral online over social media.
She talked about it in her press conference. "I have a thing (issue) with the broadcast," she stated. "I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn't a camera, because I don't like breaking racquets. I went somewhere where I thought they wouldn't broadcast it, but obviously they did. Maybe some conversations can be had."
Not only her, but world number two Iga Swiatek was also quick to share her opinion on this situation. "The question is, are we tennis players...or are we animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop, you know? OK, that was exaggerating obviously, but it would be nice to have some privacy."
Rafter has his say
The former world number one called for the players to be smarter, and find somewhere where there are no cameras being on show. "Well, there is a safe space... and that's your locker room if you want to unload," he said on Nova FM's Jase & Lauren show on Thursday. "They can't really have cameras in there, can they?"
Not that smashing a racket was a bad thing through the eyes of the Aussie, who believed it was a great way of letting out frustration and anger. "I (actually) said to one of the players that it's fine to let the emotion out on the court too," he said. "Because if you're getting really frustrated, and she (Gauff) was getting her ass kicked...she just couldn't find a way back in...then let that frustration out. Sometimes, at the end of the first set, just demolish (a racquet) and then it just clears everything."
While it was a good method, doing it all the time was not the best option. "For me (in my career), it was a reset," he described it as. "If you continually keep smashing your racket as the sets go along, that's not great, but it's about getting the anger out."
It is not an uncommon thing to see players smash their rackets within the premises of the court, even on it as they sometimes lose control over their anger and it spills for the world to see. Gauff bottled in her anger in her quarter-final match, with it in dire need to let it spill. The reason she did not do it on court was because she does not want to set a bad example for the younger generation, thus why she tried to hide it somewhere secretive. Now, this has led to another debacle, in which the players are trying to fight for their privacy.
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- Sabalenka should ignore that nonsense and continue doing what she does. The sport of tennis has been corrupted by the American government. And America is the most racist country on earth. It is clear that some players are being targeted for discrimination based on their nationality. Screaming hasn't just start in tennis. Sharapova, Serena, etc. always did scream and nothing was said. You cannot control ignorance.
- If she wants privacy, then she should quit tennis. The same thing happened to Sabalenka at the US Open after she loss the final, and no one was talking about privacy. Instead they criticized Sabalenka. Anyone who knows Gauff is well aware that she is a sore loser and cannot control her anger after a loss. You cannot tell someone where to place their cameras. She needs to separate herself from her parents and GROW UP. She is 21 years old.
- Coco is a sore loser. She does that all the time. At least now, she goes behind closed doors, instead of interrupting the matches with her meltdown. The same thing happened to Sabalenka at the US Open. The only difference is, Sabalenka knows how to handle things like an adult. Gauff on the other hand needs to GROW UP. She is 21 and she needs to act like it. There is no way you can play a sport and cannot stand to lose.
- No one is interested in seeing her. She is not going to do anything but cheat a younger player out of a wildcard and lose in the first round. If their lives is that miserable and they want to return, let them go thru qualifications like everyone else.
- She never ever screams in practice. Not ever.
- I'm amazed at the freedom cameras have on courts as well. In the past, cross-court cameras were vividly showing what amounted to "upskirts" as women sat on their respective benches. The players resorted to placing towels between or over their legs. A practice still in play today. Same with camera's habits of basically zooming-in on down-blouse shots. That seems to have lessened; at least no more zooming-in as they bend forward prepping to face an opponent's serve. In addition, the invasion of privacy during medical treatment on-court is absurd. As are the in-your-face close-ups of players at their bench. If I were seeking a moment to concentrate or simply relax between games I'd trash that camera in a nanosecond.
- Talking about that situation with the American Dictator is one thing. Taking action is another. When is both the ATP and WTA is going to hand down punishment to the American athletes like they did with the Russians and Belarusians?, They took no time mixing sports with politics when it came to Ukraine. Right now, it is showing that the sport of tennis is actually controlled by the American Government. That is why there is so much Corruption going on.
- PLACED IN THE SEMIS IS RIGHT. BECAUSE UNLIKE ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS, PEGULA IS NEVER GIVEN ANY QUALITY OPPONENTS IN HER SECTION OF THE DRAW. THEREFORE IT HELPS HER TO GO DEEP INTO THE DRAWS. BY THE TIME SHE MEETS UP WITH A QUALITY OPPONENT, HER OPPONENT IS EXHAUSTED FROM THE PREVIOUS MATCH. IT IS CALLED DRAW FIXING. AND THAT AMERICAN BACK WTA IS FULL OF CORRUPTION. AND HAS RUINED WOMEN TENNIS. PEGULA DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE BODY BUILD TO LIFT A TROPHY. THEREFORE THEY DO WHAT AMERICANS DO BEST. IF YOU CANNOT EARN IT, CHEAT AND STEAL IT.
- THERE IS NOTHING TO TELL HER. AS USUAL, THE DRAWS WERE DESIGNED TO HELP PEGULA LIFT THE TROPHY. UNLIKE, EVERYONE ELSE ALL PEGULA OPPONENTS CAME OFF OUT OF THE JUNIOR SECTION.
- That is what is called an Old School spanking. And it is not surprising. Svitolina played during the time when women tennis was at its best. She was considered a dark horse, who gave Serena and many of the other good players problems at that time. Gauff knew that she had to play tennis before she came out there, because Svitolina was not going to hit all those unforced errors and hand her the match, like her previous opponents. Back in the day, not only did you have to know how to play tennis, but you also had to THINK on the court. Something that has left women tennis altogether. That is why she was hitting the majority of those balls away from Gauff, because she knew that she could not out rally her. Which confused Gauff and broke her down.
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