After a painful defeat in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, American tennis player Coco Gauff couldn't hold back her emotions. The 21-year-old athlete ended her participation in the tournament, losing to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in straight sets — 1:6, 2:6. The match lasted only 59 minutes and was a real test for Gauff.
Analyzing the statistics shows that Coco was experiencing a serious performance crisis that day: she made 26 unforced errors and managed to hit only three "winners." Her serve proved particularly problematic — Gauff won only 2 out of 11 points on her second serve and allowed her opponent to take four games in the first set.
After the match, cameras at Rod Laver Arena captured Gauff dealing with her disappointment. She tried to hide from the spotlight in the locker room, where she hit her racket against a concrete ramp several times, completely breaking her equipment.
At the press conference following the match, Coco explained her actions, emphasizing that she doesn't like breaking rackets, but at that moment it was necessary. "I was looking for a place without cameras. There are moments that shouldn't become public knowledge. It's better to let off steam on the racket than to take it out on my team — they are wonderful people and don't deserve my aggression," the tennis player admitted.
Despite this emotional outburst, the two-time Grand Slam champion noted that such moments help her cope with the immense pressure she has felt since her debut at the age of 15.
