Coco Gauff calls for Grand Slam change after Alcaraz privacy concerns

TL;DR

Coco Gauff has called for changes to Grand Slam privacy policies following her emotional moment captured on camera after losing a match. Carlos Alcaraz has echoed her concerns, suggesting that while fan engagement is important, current camera access may infringe on players' privacy.

Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

After Coco Gauff lost her quarter-final match at the Australian Open in January, cameras caught her smashing her racket in the corridors of Rod Laver Arena.

Gauff said she felt the moment didn’t need to be shared publicly, which led to wider conversations about how much privacy players should have during tournaments.

And on his side, Carlos Alcaraz has already spoken out on the topic. While he said the footage can enhance the fan experience, he believes camera access has crossed a line.

“We already don’t have much privacy in tournaments, and I think this is too much,” he said while speaking in Miami. “We should have spaces where we can be alone without being filmed.”

Now back on tour following a short break after Miami, Gauff was asked again about the issue ahead of her first match in Stuttgart. She proposed one possible solution.

Coco Gauff’s take on player privacy

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Gauff is in Stuttgart this week as she attempts to win her first title at the clay-court event.

The American, who faces Liudmila Samsonova in the opening round, was asked about possible solutions to the issue during her pre-tournament press conference.

“Signs. The main thing, signs,” Gauff replied.

“I think having some sort of control over, like, maybe WTA… it’s on the Grand Slams, so it’s hard for WTA to step in at a Grand Slam event, but obviously they have influence.”

“I think just controlling what’s shown and what is not shown. There are many private moments that we have. I pray before every match.

“I had to tell the cameras to not record that moment because there’s not many gender-neutral areas where we can be.”

Yeah, it became a bigger topic because of me and breaking the racket [laughter]. I saw that Carlos said something too last week about it. I’m glad maybe I started a conversation.

“Some people were zooming in on people’s phones, reading their text messages. I saw some tweets about that. I think that’s where it can get a little bit too far.”

Coco Gauff’s projected path to the Stuttgart Open title

Round One: BYE
Round Two: Liudmila Samsonova
Quarter-finals: Karolina Muchova
Semi-finals: Elina Svitolina
Final: Elena Rybakina

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Q&A

What privacy concerns did Coco Gauff raise after her Australian Open match?

Coco Gauff expressed that her emotional moment of smashing her racket should not have been shared publicly, highlighting the need for more privacy for players during tournaments.

How did Carlos Alcaraz respond to the issue of player privacy in tournaments?

Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged that while camera footage can enhance fan experiences, he believes that the current level of access to players has crossed a line.

What changes is Coco Gauff advocating for in Grand Slam tournaments?

Coco Gauff is advocating for changes to privacy policies in Grand Slam tournaments to better protect players' emotional moments from public scrutiny.