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Texas tennis tournament unveils first-ever ‘rage room’ after Coco Gauff’s viral Australian Open outburst
During her quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina at Melbourne Park, Coco Gauff went to the call area and repeatedly smashed her racket on the ground, unaware that it was being broadcast to viewers around the world.
To address the privacy concerns, the ATX Open in Austin, Texas introduced a new room called the 'Rage Room'. (Photo: @AtxOpen/X)
Following Coco Gauff’s racket-smashing outburst at the Australia Open last month that sparked debate about privacy at tournaments, A WTA tournament in Texas has unveiled a “rage room” for players to take out their frustrations away from the cameras.
During her quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina at Melbourne Park, the American went to the call area and repeatedly smashed her racket on the ground, unaware that it was being broadcast to viewers around the world.
Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek were among the players calling for more privacy off the court following the incident.
“It’s really sad that you can’t move away anywhere and hide and fume out your frustration, your anger… in a way that won’t be captured by a camera. But we live in a society where content is everything. It’s a deeper discussion,” Djokovic had said after the incident.
Similarly Jessica Peluga empathized with Gauff. “You’re under a microscope all day,” Pegula noted. “The only place you’re not filmed is the locker room or the bathroom. Coco wasn’t wrong. It’s an invasion of privacy, it’s very intrusive.”
Gauff said after her Australian Open defeat that she “tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast” her racquet smash.
“So, yeah, maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room,” the 21-year-old said.
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To address the privacy concerns, the ATX Open in Austin, Texas introduced a new room called the ‘Rage Room’.
“Introducing the ATX Open rage room – the first of its kind – where players can privately express frustration or emotion in a safe, camera-free environment,” the WTA 250 tournament posted on its social media platforms.
The post also featured a sign with the words “don’t smile” and “count to three” along with a broken racket.
While reaction online was largely positive, some questioned whether the room would encourage players to vent their frustrations in a physical manner.
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