The 2026 Canadian Open has reached its final stages. During the high-stakes semifinals in Montreal and Toronto, the immense pressure of deep runs caught up with two of the semifinalists. World No. 4 Coco Gauff and Spanish talent Rafael Jódar were seen hitting themselves on the head with tennis rackets out of frustration. Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard recently took to social media to voice her concern about their actions.
Euenie Bouchard Weighs In on Coco Gauff and Rafael Jódar’s Canadian Open Racket Incidents
In Montreal, Jódar’s stellar run, which had him poised to become the youngest Canadian Open finalist since Rafael Nadal in 2005, came to an end against Brandon Nakashima.
The 20th seed struggled a lot against Nakashima’s aggressive returns. The two-hour match slipped away from him, and after hitting unforced errors, Jódar was seen yelling and violently smacking his racket against his head. The 19-year-old lost to the American, 7-6(3), 6-4.
Hours later in Toronto, a similar scene played out during the women’s semifinals. The two-time Grand Slam champion, battling second-seeded Elena Rybakina, ultimately fell in a late-night match that ended near 1:00 a.m. local time. Frustrated by her performance in the 7-5, 2-6, 2-6 loss, Gauff also resorted to hitting her head with her racket.
The back-to-back incidents certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Former Canadian pro Bouchard took to X to voice exactly what many fans were thinking, tweeting:
“What’s with players and hitting their head with their racket?! That’s 2 today, Jódar & Gauff. Looks like it hurts.”
What’s with players and hitting their head with their racket?! That’s 2 today, Jodar & Gauff. Looks like it hurts 😵💫
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) August 13, 2026
It’s not the first time the American has let out her disappointment this way. Earlier this year at the Rome Open, she went viral for striking herself in the head twice with her racket during a tough set.
When asked about it then, Gauff openly admitted, “It’s not something I want to do or make a habit of. You go through things off court, then you come on court, and everything gets amplified. I didn’t want to throw my racket or anything, so I took it out on myself. But maybe it’s better to hit the ground than myself.”
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Following her quarterfinal loss against Rybakina, Naomi Osaka was also seen letting out her frustration by kicking her racket on the court. Although such reactions are quite common in tennis, fans will be concerned if it’s self-harming.
Now, Gauff and Jódar will shift their focus to the Cincinnati Open, the last Masters 1000 event before the US Open.
