American No. 1 Coco Gauff suffered a shocking exit from the Australian Open after losing her quarterfinal match to Elina Svitolina in straight sets at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday. The game lasted only 59 minutes, as a disheartened Gauff wasn’t allowed to play her brand of tennis and was overwhelmed by the Ukrainian from the outset.
After the loss, a frustrated Gauff sought some personal space inside the arena while walking back to the players’ locker room. The 21-year-old American found some space, then smashed her racket on the ground multiple times until it was completely shattered. Little did Gauff know that the cameras captured her private outburst, and the video quickly made the rounds on social media, further rubbing salt in her wounds.
On Wednesday, Gauff shared an Instagram post showcasing moments from her run at Melbourne Park, encapsulating both the happy and sad moments that came with the shocking quarterfinal loss.
“Living and learning. But will still keep trying to move forward. Also, I’m a real person with real feelings… I care a lot & I’m trying my best. Thank you to those who understand that🧡,” Gauff wrote in the caption of the post.
Gauff’s father, Corey, was quick to notice the post and immediately shared a heartwarming reaction, consoling and backing his daughter. “Baby girl, it’s Ok, we all have moments. You don’t hurt or disrespect anyone, so I’m ok with it … focus on the process of improvement … Dad is alright with it, don’t worry about the rest. Push on, love ya ❤️,” Gauff’s father commented.
Taylor Townsend, Danielle Collins, and Others Commented on Coco Gauff’s Post
It was not just Gauff’s father who comforted her with his heartwarming comment; others did too. The list included current active WTA players like Danielle Collins, Caty McNally, and Taylor Townsend, while Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, also dropped a morale-boosting comment.
While Gauff begins evaluating what went wrong in the match and identifying areas for improvement, she will only be back in action once the WTA circuit resumes in February, sometime after the Australian Open.
Also read:
Novak Djokovic Gets Ominous Messages From Courier & Davenport Right Before Sinner Australian Open SF
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