Gauff had just lost her quarterfinal in straight sets to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and journeyed down the tunnels to smash her racquet away from cameras, or so she thought.<\/p>\n
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Coco Gauff smashes her racquet after losing an Australian Open quarterfinal. (Supplied: Channel 9)<\/p>\n
“I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously they did,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament, the only private place we have is the locker room.”<\/p>\n
Other players came out in support of Gauff’s sentiments, including Iga \u015awi\u0105tek<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The question is, are we tennis players or are we animals in the zoo, where they are observed even when they poop?” Swiatek said.<\/p>\n “It’s not our job [to] be a meme when you forget your accreditation. Oh, it’s funny, for sure. People have something to talk about, but for us I don’t think it’s necessary.”<\/p>\n Novak Djokovic added to the debate, saying, “I’m surprised that we have no cameras while we are taking a shower. That’s probably the next step.”<\/p>\n ‘Old man’ wants a cut of ticket sales<\/p>\n While we’re talking about Djokovic, remember what he said after his insane five-set win over defending champion<\/a> Jannik Sinner in the semifinal?<\/p>\n “I’m an old man, I need to go earlier to sleep,” he said after the semifinal ended way past his self-prescribed bedtime.<\/p>\n Djokovic also made a cheeky joke that he wanted “10 per cent of tonight’s tickets sold” because of the entertaining match he and Sinner put on. We’re not sure that’s how it works, though.<\/p>\n Novak Djokovic played in his 11th Australian Open title. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)<\/p>\n After the other semifinal between Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz, the German said he wasn’t a fan of how the Spaniard utilised murky medical timeout rules.<\/p>\n “I didn’t like it, but it’s not my decision. I just said it was bulls***, basically,” he said.<\/p>\n Alcaraz was allowed a medical timeout late in the third set<\/a> of the intense match for what he said was an adductor issue, but what many believe looked more like cramp.<\/p>\n He said the injury was very painful but it wasn’t going to force him to retire because he “hates giving up”.<\/p>\n “I always say you have to believe in yourself no matter what,” Alcaraz said. That’s a nice motivational quote!<\/p>\n Legends say thanks<\/p>\n Stan Wawrinka has long been a favourite here at Melbourne Park, probably even before his breakthrough grand slam title at the 2014 Australian Open.\u00a0<\/p>\n But he bid farewell to the slam after losing to ninth seed Taylor Fritz in the third round.<\/p>\n Wawrinka fought back tears as he sat on his bench after the match<\/a>, before joining tournament director Craig Tiley on the court to thank an adoring crowd and sign off his Open career in the most Australian way possible.<\/p>\n “First of all, thank you to Craig for the wildcard invitation, not the first time,” he said.<\/p>\n “For me it was a lot of emotion when you called me to give me this opportunity for one last chance to say goodbye to the people here in Melbourne.<\/p>\n “I’m sad to leave, but it’s been an amazing journey.”<\/p>\n To sign off for good, he grabbed two beers from his bag, gave one to Tiley and cracked the other himself.<\/p>\n “Cheers everybody, and thank you so much.”<\/p>\n The 2026 Open even marked a goodbye for Frenchman Gael Monfils, who lost in the first round to Aussie Dane Sweeny.<\/p>\n “For me, my journey here with you guys started in 2003, when I came here for the first time,” Monfils said.<\/p>\n “Now we are in 2026 and somehow it is the finish line but thank you so much for this amazing ride.”<\/p>\n Monfils has played his last Australian Open. (Getty: Morgan Hancock)<\/p>\n De Minaur’s wedding confession<\/p>\n The trouble with being part of a tennis power couple is keeping the personal and professional separate, as Alex de Minaur found out after his win over America’s Frances Tiafoe during the third round.<\/p>\n A relieved de Minaur spoke to Jim Courier on court post-match, and after taking a few questions about his win and his opponent, talk soon turned to planning for his wedding to English tennis player Katie Boulter, which will take place this year.<\/p>\n “This is a 50-50 relationship, so honestly the fact that we’re both tennis players [means] we are both doing as much as we can together,” he said.<\/p>\n “And yeah, I’ve been involved so far with some of the decisions.<\/p>\n “I’m sure when it comes to like, the details of napkins and flowers and, you know, decoration purposes, that’s not my forte. I’ll leave that to Katie.”<\/p>\n Cue a puzzled face from Boulter in the crowd \u2026<\/p>\n Osaka feels like a Barbie<\/p>\n “I almost feel like I’m a Barbie that dresses up and goes on the court and does something,” Naomi Osaka said following her fashion statement at the tournament.<\/p>\n Ahead of facing Antonia Ru\u017ei\u0107 in the first round, Osaka wore a white hat and veil<\/a>, matched by flowing pants and an umbrella in the same colour.<\/p>\n “It’s modelled after a jellyfish. I am so grateful to be able to get to do the things I love,” she said.<\/p>\n “It’s really beautiful.”<\/p>\n Naomi Osaka got the crowd talking with her outfit. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)<\/p>\n Honourable mentions<\/p>\n The best of the rest starts with the statistical best men’s player of all time reminding people of just that.<\/p>\n After his quarterfinal win, Djokovic said he found it “disrespectful” that he was asked if he felt like he has always been the chaser<\/a>, chasing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.<\/p>\n![\"Novak](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770007938_753_352f20784daee52a365324e2c0eb63f3.jpeg\")
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