Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian backs Coco Gauff after viral Australian Open racket smash raises questions about athlete emotions

Serena Williams quickly came forward to support Coco Gauff after cameras caught the young American breaking down following her Australian Open loss. The moment spread fast online, and it led to heavy criticism. But Williams, one of the biggest names in tennis, made it clear that Gauff did nothing wrong. Coco Gauff, the world No. 3, lost in straight sets to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the Australian Open quarterfinals at Melbourne Park. The match ended 6-1, 6-2. After the loss, Gauff walked off the court upset and smashed her racket while trying to stay out of sight. The clip went viral within minutes.Soon after, Gauff spoke out and said tournament organizers and broadcasters need to respect player privacy. She said emotional moments should not always be turned into content. Her words sparked a bigger talk across tennis. As the debate grew, Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian stepped in. They backed Gauff fully and reminded fans why emotion is part of sports.Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, first shared his thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter. He praised Gauff’s honesty and fire.“We love sports because it’s raw, because these athletes put their ALL into the battle and sometimes, like life, you don’t win,” Ohanian wrote on X. “Media are gonna spin this private moment for a headline to get some clicks, but Coco did nothing wrong here.”Serena Williams reposted her husband’s message and added her own strong words. The 23-time Grand Slam champion said passion should never be judged.“Well said. @alexisohanian Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose,” Williams wrote on X.Williams then added a light joke to ease the moment. “Now Coco when you want I can show you how to demolish a racket in one swipe… Serena style,” she said.Gauff saw the post and replied with three heart emojis and two laughing emojis on X, showing love and thanks.Later, Gauff also shared her feelings on Instagram. She posted photos from Melbourne Park and opened up about the moment.“Living and learning,” Gauff wrote on Instagram. “But still will keep trying to move forward. Also, I’m a real person with real feelings.”“I care a lot and I’m trying my best. Thank you to those who understand that,” she added.Gauff is still chasing her first Australian Open final. She reached the semifinals in 2024, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka, who went on to win the title. The Melbourne crown remains out of reach for now, but support from legends like Serena Williams shows Gauff is not alone.