Watch as Gauff smashes her racquet after shock defeat to Svitolina

Video credit: TNT Sports

Coco Gauff said she wanted to take inspiration from Serena Williams following her shock Australian Open quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina.

And soon after the defeat, Williams offered her support.

Gauff produced an out-of-sorts display as she was beaten in just 59 minutes by Svitolina to end her hopes of a first Australian Open title.

After the loss, Gauff took out her frustration on her racquet as she smashed it on her way back to the locker room.

“Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose,” wrote 23-time Grand Slam winner Williams on X.

“Now Coco, when you want, I can show you how to demolish in one swipe… Serena style.”

Williams’ post was in reply to a message from her husband, Alexis Ohanian, in support of Gauff.

“I love this energy and emotion from Coco Gauff,” he wrote.

“We love sports because it’s raw, because these athletes put their ALL into the battle and sometimes (like life) you don’t win. 

“Media are gonna spin this private moment for a headline to get some clicks, but Coco did nothing wrong here.”

Gauff admitted “nothing was working” as she lost in rapid time to Svitolina.

The two-time Grand Slam champion hit 26 unforced errors to just three winners in a poor display.

She said she “tried to go somewhere where there were no cameras” to take out her frustration on her racquet.

“I just took the minute to go and do that. 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.”

Iga Swiatek came out strongly in defence of player privacy after she was beaten by Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.

“The question is, are we tennis players, or are we animals in the zoo?” said the world No. 2.

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

“I guess it would be nice to have some space where you can do that without the whole world watching…there are some tournaments where it’s impossible and you are constantly observed, if not by the fans who can just buy some ground passes and go to your practice, then by the cameras.

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Swiatek raises concerns over constant camera gaze at Australian Open after Gauff incident

Video credit: SNTV

“For sure, it’s not simple. I don’t think it should be like that, because we’re tennis players. 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.

“Oh, it’s funny, yeah, for sure. People have something to talk about, but for us, I don’t think it’s necessary.”

Gauff was bidding to win the Australian Open for the first time in her career.

Svitolina will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, while Rybakina and Jessica Pegula meet in the other semi.

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