Tennis Stars Back Gauff Against Nonstop Filming at Australian Open

Coco Gauff wasn’t thrilled about the cameras that caught her smashing her racket after her Australian Open defeat.

The two-time Grand Slam champion thought her outburst was private, but backstage cameras in Rod Laver Arena filmed her breaking a racket on a ramp.

“Certain moments … I feel like they don’t need to broadcast,” Gauff said Monday after her loss in the quarterfinals. “I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn’t a camera because I don’t necessarily like breaking rackets.”

Several men’s and women’s tennis stars agreed with Gauff.

Women’s No. 6 Jessica Pegula, who advanced to the singles semifinals Tuesday, called the cameras an “invasion of privacy.”

“I’m not a fan of the cameras,” Pegula said. “You’re just going about your day and feel like someone’s constantly filming you. I saw online that people were zooming in on player’s phones. Literally the only time you’re not being recorded is when you’re going into the shower and going to the bathroom.”

Iga Świątek said she felt like a caged animal with the constant surveillance. 

“Are we tennis players or are we like animals in the zoo?” Świątek said Tuesday after losing in the quarterfinals. A behind-the-scenes video of the No. 2-ranked women’s player went viral Tuesday after security denied her access to the players’ lounge at the Australian Open because she didn’t have her credential. 

“I don’t think it should be like that because we are tennis players. We’re meant to be watched on court and in the press. That’s our job. It’s not our job to be a meme when you forget your accreditation. It’s funny for sure. People have something to talk about. For us, I don’t think it’s necessary,” Świątek said. (There was a viral video of an identical incident with Roger Federer seven years ago.)

Djokovic said Tuesday that he “agreed” with Gauff. But he doesn’t see any changes happening and thinks players must “accept” the reality of backstage cameras.

“We live in a society and time where content is everything,” Djokovic said. “It’s really hard for me to see the trend changing in the opposite direction, meaning we take out cameras. It’s only going to be as it is or even more cameras. … I’m against it. I think there should be a limit and a borderline where this is our space. But people, commercially, there’s always a demand.”

The Australian Open has had a reputation for its vast network of off-court cameras for years. In 2019, Djokovic described it as a “Big Brother society.”

In a statement to Front Office Sports, Tennis Australia said they aim to strike “the right balance between showcasing the personalities and skills of the players, while ensuring their comfort and privacy.”

“Cameras capturing behind-the-scenes are positioned in operational areas where the players warm up, cool down and make their journey to and from the court. This is all designed to provide fans with a deeper connection to the athletes and help them build their fan base.

As always, we value feedback from the players and will continue to work collaboratively to ensure the right balance.”

ESPN declined to comment on Gauff’s request for more privacy and whether they plan to continue shooting in the backstage areas of the Australian Open.