Being a pro in tennis means playing in front of millions, but when it turns into an all-access pass to a player’s life, that’s a problem. After Carlos Alcaraz and Jelena Ostapenko, American No. 1 Coco Gauff has now spoken out against increasingly invasive behind-the-scenes camera coverage.
Coco Gauff Calls for Stricter Privacy Rules After Cameras Invade Her Personal Space
Recently, a camera caught Gauff breaking a racket in frustration in a backstage hallway. And this time, the behind-the-scenes cameras filmed her as she often prays before every match. Gauff shared that she had to explicitly instruct camera operators to stop recording because there are so few truly private areas left for the players.
“There are many private moments that we have,” Gauff explained in the presser before the Stuttgart Open. “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.”
The world No. 3 also drew a firm line between what’s acceptable and what’s invasive. “I think the gym is okay, but when it comes to hallways and every scenario… Some people were zooming in on people’s phones, reading their text messages,” she noted. “I think that’s where it can get a little bit too far.”
She acknowledged that the conversation gained major traction recently after cameras caught her breaking a racket in frustration in a backstage hallway. While she can laugh about that now, the American insisted the lack of privacy is a serious issue that tournament organizers, especially at the Grand Slam level, need to address.
Gauff is not alone in this, either. “I saw that Carlos said something, too, last week about it. I’m glad maybe I started a conversation. I definitely think it’s gone too far,” added the 22-year-old.
During his pre-tournament press conference in Monaco, the Spaniard expressed concerns about respecting players’ privacy. “Having very close cameras, which can see what we are looking at on our phone, I think it’s too much. We should have spaces where we can be quiet without being filmed.” Tournament officials need to create strict, camera-free zones as a priority where athletes can just breathe and mentally prepare.
RELATED: Frustrated Jelena Ostapenko Backs Carlos Alcaraz in Escalating Tennis Privacy War
Gauff is in Stuttgart, officially scheduled to take the court on Wednesday, April 15, where she will face the heavy-hitting Liudmila Samsonova in the Round of 16. Meanwhile, after losing the Monte-Carlo ATP 1000 title and the world No. 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner on Sunday, Alcaraz is scheduled to face Otto Virtanen today, on April 14, in the Round of 32 at the Barcelona Open on the Pista Rafa Nadal.
