Tennis legend Serena Williams publicly defended Coco Gauff following the young US star's viral racket-smashing moment at the Australian Open, offering support and advice to the world No. 3.
After Gauff suffered a 6-1, 6-2 quarterfinal loss to Elina Svitolina in just 59 minutes on Tuesday, cameras captured her smashing her racket in frustration while walking through the Rod Laver Arena tunnel. The 21-year-old had intentionally left the court hoping to avoid public view, but the TV broadcast chose to air the moment live.
Serena Williams quickly came to Gauff's defense on social media, echoing sentiments shared by her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The 44-year-old assured Gauff that passion and caring matter, and there's nothing wrong with hating to lose.
Serena Williams then playfully offered to teach Gauff how to demolish a racket in one swing, referencing her own history with similar outbursts during her legendary career.
Gauff responded to the criticism by emphasizing she deliberately avoids breaking rackets on court and only did so in what she believed was a private space. She called for increased privacy for players, noting that the locker room serves as the Melbourne tournament's only truly private area.
Williams faced similar scrutiny throughout her decorated career, garnering attention for emotional displays including racket-smashing incidents resulting in fines. Despite occasional controversies, she became one of the greatest athletes of all time, winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles and holding the No. 1 ranking for 186 consecutive weeks.
Jessica Pegula and Iga Świątek also voiced support for Gauff, agreeing that cameras have become too intrusive at tournaments. The incident subsequently sparked broader conversations about player privacy and mental health in professional tennis.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her 2026 Australian Open title campaign early Tuesday, defeating 18-year-old US tennis star Iva Jović 6-2, 6-3.
The victory advances the 27-year-old to the Grand Slam's semifinals. There she remains the favorite after several top seeds — including No. 3 Coco Gauff and defending champion Madison Keys — fell in earlier rounds.
In the quarterfinal match, Sabalenka used her trademark power to overwhelm her teenage opponent. The Belarusian broke started strong and maintained a high level of aggression throughout. Playing in her first career Grand Slam quarterfinal, Jović struggled to find an answer for the veteran's depth and velocity.
"The second set, I felt like I had to step in and put even more pressure on her," Sabalenka said postmatch. "Because I can see that she's young, she's hungry, and I could tell during the match that no matter the score, she's still going to be there trying."
"These teenagers have tested me in the last couple of rounds — incredible player," she continued, singing Jović's praises. "It was a tough match. Don't look at the score. She played incredible tennis and she pushed me to a one-step better level. It was a battle."
Sabalenka now prepares for a semifinal matchup against Ukraine’s No. 12 Elina Svitolina. Svitolina advanced earlier on Tuesday after defeating Coco Gauff in straight sets. Sabalenka holds a 5-1 head-to-head advantage over Svitolina, and has yes to drop a set this tournament.
With Madison Keys out of the draw, Sabalenka remains the only former Australian Open champion remaining in the women's singles bracket.
How to watch Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open semifinals
The Australian Open semifinals kick off tomorrow, as Sabalenka takes on Svitolina live on ESPN (timing TBD).
US tennis star Coco Gauff called for increased player privacy after cameras captured her smashing her racket following her quarterfinal exit from the 2026 Australian Open.
World No. 2 Coco Gauff suffered a 6-1, 6-2 defeat to Ukraine’s No. 12 Elina Svitolina in Tuesday’s fourth-round match. The clash lasted 59 minutes, with Gauff struggling to find her rhythm throughout the contest. The 21-year-old finished with just three winners while racking up 26 unforced errors and serving five double-faults.
Following the loss, Gauff attempted to find a secluded area to vent her frustrations. Tournament cameras followed her, filming as she repeatedly smashed her racket on the ground. The footage spread quickly across social media.
Addressing the incident afterward, Coco Gauff argued that such raw, emotional moments should not be treated as public entertainment.
"Certain moments — the same thing happened to Aryna [Sabalenka] after I played her in the final of the US Open — I feel like they don’t need to broadcast," Gauff said, referencing No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka's post-2023 US Open meltdown.
"So maybe some conversations can be had. Because I feel like, at this tournament, the only private place we have is the locker room."
Gauff explained that she avoids lashing out in front of fans, saying some things should remain off-limits to broadcasters.
"I know I’m emotional, so I just took the minute to go and do that," she continued. "I try not to do it on-court in front of kids and things like that. But I do know I need to let out that emotion."
Despite her technical struggles, Coco Gauff remained focused on the future. She stressed scrapping out wins on bad days, citing US tennis icon Serena Williams as inspiration when handling difficult matches.
Meanwhile, Svitolina moves on to face Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.
What's next for Coco Gauff after her 2026 Australian Open ousting
The WTA Calendar next turns to the Middle East Swing, with Gauff expected to join the field at the 2026 Qatar Open.
The WTA 1000 Doha tournament starts February 8th, live on Tennis Channel.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has once again merged high fashion with elite athletics, debuting a custom "jellyfish-inspired" kit during the opening rounds of the 2026 Australian Open.
The outfit, a collaboration between Nike and London-based designer Robert Wun, immediately went viral following the world No. 17's first-round victory over Croatia's Antonia Ružić.
The avant-garde walk-on look featured a turquoise and green tie-dye palette, characterized by organic, wavy ruffles designed to mimic the movement of jellyfish tentacles. The multi-piece configuration included a zip-up jacket with cascading tendrils, a pleated miniskirt layered over wide-leg trousers, and a dramatic wide-brimmed hat complete with a sheer white veil and matching parasol.
Osaka later revealed her two-year-old daughter Shai inspired the concept. While reading a marine life storybook together, Osaka noticed her daughter's interest in a jellyfish illustration. That led her to translate the visual into her 2026 tournament aesthetic.
"It felt symbolic of energy, transformation, and excitement," Osaka told reporters. She went on to describe the design as representing "the birth of something new" in both her career and journey as a mother.
The outfit also featured two delicate white butterflies — one fixed to her hat and another to her parasol. These served as a reference to the 2021 Australian Open, when a butterfly famously landed on Osaka’s face during her title-winning run.
On the court, Osaka has backed the bold style with strong performances. She secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over Antonia Ružić in her opening match on January 20th, followed by a hard-fought 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory against Sorana Cirstea on January 22nd.
How to watch Naomi Osaka at the 2026 Australian Open
Osaka is scheduled to face Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis in the Australian Open's third round. The pair will meet early Saturday morning at 4:40 AM ET.
All 2026 Australian Open matches air live across ESPN platforms.
Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the 2026 Australian Open with a three-set victory over Sorana Cirstea on Thursday.
But the hard-fought win was overshadowed by a heated exchange at the net and a subsequent public apology from the former Japanese fan favorite.
After Osaka defeated the unseeded 35-year-old 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena, the two shared a tense handshake before Cirstea reportedly called Osaka out for her on-court conduct. The issue apparently centered on Osaka’s habit of shouting "Come on!" to celebrate points, specifically between Cirstea’s first and second serves — a move the Romanian considered both a distraction and a breach of sportsmanship.
In her immediate postmatch interview, Osaka dismissed Cirstea's complaints.
"Apparently a lot of 'come-ons' that she was angry about, but whatever," Osaka said. "I think this was her last Australian Open, so, okay, sorry she was mad about it."
However, during her subsequent press conference, Osaka apologized for her dismissive tone.
"I'm a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her," Osaka said. " I also want to apologize. I think the first couple of things that I said on the court were disrespectful. I don't like disrespecting people. That's not what I do."
Osaka went on to clarify that her vocal outbursts are self-motivating and not an attempt to rattle her opponent.
Cirstea, who recently announced that the 2026 season will be her last on the WTA Tour, later downplayed the incident. She called it a "five-second exchange between two players," insisting that "there was no drama."
Osaka, the No. 16 seed, will next face unseeded Australian Maddison Inglis in the third round on Friday.
How to watch Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open this week
No. 16 Naomi Osaka takes the court against Australia's Maddison Inglis this Friday (time TBA), live on ESPN.
The Australian Open is raising the bar for 2026, with the first Grand Slam of the tennis season boosting its total prize pool to a record $74.9 million — a 16% increase over the 2025 tournament.
Top-finishers in both the women's and men's competitions will now receive checks worth $2.79 million — 19% more than 2025's champions — while a player exiting in the main draw's first round will earn approximately $101,000, a 14% year-over-year increase.
The annual competition has long been a pioneer in promoting equal pay, following the US Open's 1973 move by becoming the second Slam to guarantee a 50-50 breakdown between the WTA and ATP in 2001.
"This 16% increase demonstrates our commitment to supporting tennis careers at every level," said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley in the governing body's Tuesday announcement. "From boosting qualifying prize money by 55% since 2023 to enhancing player benefits, we're ensuring professional tennis is sustainable for all competitors."
"This investment strengthens tennis's foundation, ensuring the sport's long-term health and commercial growth," added Tiley. "By supporting players at all levels, we're building deeper talent pools and more compelling storylines for fans."
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open
US star and world No. 7 Madison Keys will look to defend her trophy when the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open kicks off at 7 PM ET on Saturday, January 17th.
Live coverage of the season's first Slam will air across ESPN platforms.
US tennis player Madison Keys earned her first-ever Grand Slam title on Saturday, taking down back-to-back defending champ and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 Australian Open final.
On the heels of a three-set semifinal ousting of No. 2 Iga Świątek last Thursday, Keys' 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 Saturday victory made her the first player to upset both the world No. 1 and No. 2 in the same Grand Slam since Svetlana Kuznetsova did so at the 2009 French Open. The 29-year-old is also the first to do it in Melbourne since Serena Williams in 2005.
Only three other WTA players have racked up more Grand Slam main draws before winning their first title. On Saturday, Keys tied Caroline Wozniacki for making the most Australian Open main-draw singles appearances before lifting the trophy.
Keys's Australian Open run included five wins over seeded opponents, four of them in the WTA's Top 10 entering the tournament. Plus, with five three-set victories, Keys tied the record for the most three-set wins at any of the four Grand Slams.
However, none of those records compare with winning her first major.
"I’ve wanted this for so long," Keys said holding her trophy during the post-match ceremony.
Keys' championship was years in the making
Keys burst onto the pro scene on her 14th birthday back in 2009, and has been a Top 20 mainstay for most of the last decade.
The US star has appeared in at least the quarterfinal round of all four majors multiple times. However, she had only one Grand Slam final under her belt prior to this weekend's championship match — a 2017 US Open loss to Sloane Stephens.
Ultimately, it took relinquishing her desperation to win a Slam to actually snag that elusive trophy.
"I've done a lot of work to no longer need [winning a Grand Slam]," Keys explained after her win. "I really wanted it, but it's no longer the thing that was going to define me, and kind of letting go of that burden, I finally gave myself the ability to play for it."
Slam win returns Keys to the WTA's Top 10
The WTA updated their rankings early Monday, with Keys's breakthrough performance boosting her to No. 7 — her first Top 10 slot since January 2023. The new rank also ties her career-high, with Keys first peaking at No. 7 in October 2016.
Keys's rise also solidifies the US as arguably the nation most flush with the sport's top talent. The US now boasts four players in the Top 10, with Keys joining No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, and No. 9 Emma Navarro. No other nation has more than one athlete in that elite tier.
That said, the WTA's best stayed put in Monday's rankings. Despite their Australian Open losses, all four top seeds — Sabalenka, Świątek, Gauff, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini — retained their top spots.
In the biggest upset of the 2025 Australian Open so far, 19-seed Madison Keys defeated world No. 2 Iga Świątek in a back-and-forth three-set semifinal early Thursday morning.
Entering as the tournament's only athlete to win every set, five-time Grand Slam champion Świątek conceded more games to Keys than in her previous five Australian Open matches combined.
Keys's speedy serve and heavy forehand paired with a Świątek double-fault pushed the match to a tie-break decider, with the US star ultimately winning 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8).
"It just became who can get that final point and who can be a little bit better than the other one," Keys said post-match. "I'm happy it was me."
Keys's victory is just the latest chapter in a 2025 Australian Open run that's seen her beat three Top 10 contenders in Świątek, No. 6 Elena Rybakina, and No. 10 Danielle Collins. Those victories earned the 29-year-old her own Top 10 spot in next Monday’s WTA rankings.
With Thursday's win, Keys booked her second-ever Grand Slam championship match, returning to the sport's top stage for the first time since the 2017 US Open.
One last challenge awaits Keys
To claim her career's first Grand Slam trophy, however, Keys will have to defeat reigning champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who comfortably downed Spain's No. 11 Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday in pursuit of a third-straight Australian Open title.
In their five previous meetings, Keys has only beaten Sabalenka once, topping her in Berlin in 2021.
Sabalenka won their most recent bout in the 2023 US Open semifinals. However, that three-set slog was similar to Keys's gritty victory over Świątek and, if she can maintain the composure and energy she displayed on Thursday, the US star's momentum could fuel her to similarly stun Sabalenka.
How to watch the 2025 Australian Open final
Saturday's Australian Open final between Keys and Sabalenka will take the court at 3:30 AM ET, with live coverage on ESPN.
World No. 3 Coco Gauff exited the 2025 Australian Open on Monday night, falling 7-5, 6-4 to Spain's No. 11 Paula Badosa in the Grand Slam's quarterfinal round.
Gauff's recent improvements seemed to fade in her first loss of the year, which saw the 2025 United Cup champ record 41 unforced errors, including 28 missed forehands and six double-faults.
As a result, Badosa advances to her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal, a marked comeback after a 2023 injury nearly ended her career.
"I would never think that, a year after, I would be here," Badosa said post-match. "I've been through a lot."
Sabalenka looms after quarterfinal victory
Badosa moves on to face back-to-back defending champion Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday, as the world No. 1 sets her sights on becoming the first three-peat Australian Open women's champ this century.
Sabalenka advanced past No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in an early Tuesday morning quarterfinal to reach her 10th major semifinal in her last 11 Grand Slams.
The 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory didn't come easily, though, as Pavlyuchenkova managed to snap the 26-year-old's 25-set Australian Open winning streak which dates back to her 2023 final win.
"I’m really glad that at some point I was able to put myself back together," said Sabalenka about the tough match. "I was able to keep fighting, keep trying, and I was able to turn around this match. It was a really difficult one."
US players to close out Australian Open quarterfinals
The Melbourne Slam's remaining two quarterfinals each place a US tennis star in the spotlight on Tuesday.
Fresh off ousting No. 10 Danielle Collins and No. 6 Elena Rybakina in the third and fourth rounds, No. 19 Madison Keys will square off against No. 28 Elina Svitolina for a shot at the semis. This will be Keys's first match against the Ukrainian since taking a two-set victory over Svitolina in Adelaide in January 2022.
The nightcap pits three-set specialist No. 8 Emma Navarro against perennial contender No. 2 Iga Świątek, marking the second-ever meeting — and first since 2018 — between the 23-year-olds.
The Polish phenom has yet to drop a set all tournament, and has seemed near-unbeatable after losing just four games across her last three matches. That said, Navarro has proved she just won't quit, leading the WTA in three-set contests over the last year — and gritting out a 24-9 record in the same span. Consequently, the longer Tuesday's match runs, the more it will likely favor the US star.
How to watch the 2025 Australian Open this week
No. 19 Madison Keys will clash with No. 28 Elina Svitolina starting at 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, with No. 8 Emma Navarro's bout against No. 2 Iga Świątek beginning at 9 PM ET.
Both Tuesday quarterfinals will be broadcast live across ESPN’s platforms.
Tennis's first Grand Slam of 2025 kicks off on Saturday, with the sport's heaviest hitters convening in Melbourne for the Australian Open.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka — the reigning back-to-back Australian Open champion — enters as the tournament's first overall seed for the first time. However, she'll see stiff competition by way of No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 3 Coco Gauff, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini.
"For me being the one to chase... I like that feeling," Sabalenka told reporters this morning. "That's what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back."
Tough roads to the trophy litter Australian Open draw
Each top contender faces a tricky tournament draw, with upset potential lurking in every quadrant.
Sabalenka could meet 2024 Olympic gold medalist and WTA Finals runner-up No. 5 Zheng Qinwen as early as the quarterfinals, as long as she survives a first-round matchup against 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens.
Reigning WTA Finals champion Gauff's quadrant is in Sabalenka's half of the field, setting up a possible rematch of last year's semifinal. As for the 20-year-old US star's path, earlier rounds could see Gauff contending with tough competitors like 2021 Australian Open champ Naomi Osaka, 2024 US Open semifinalist Karolína Muchová, and 2024 US Open finalist No. 7 Jessica Pegula.
Świątek and Paolini could also meet in a semifinal, though fellow top competitors No. 8 Emma Navarro and 2020 Australian Open winner Ons Jabeur stand in Świątek's way while No. 10 Danielle Collins and 2022 Wimbledon champion No. 6 Elena Rybakina have been drawn into Paolini's quadrant.
How to watch the 2025 Australian Open
The 2025 Australian Open's first round starts on Saturday at 7 PM ET, with Sabalenka's first-round match set for 3 AM ET on Sunday.
Live coverage for the tournament will air across ESPN platforms.