Coco Gauff was filmed breaking a racket after her quarter-final loss and it’s sparked a debate (Image: Getty)
Organisers of the Australian Open have issued a statement amid growing concerns about cameras in behind-the-scenes players’ areas on the grounds, while tournament director Craig Tiley also spoke out. But the WTA Tour is publicly standing by its athletes and has echoed their concerns.
Coco Gauff was caught smashing her racket in a quiet area after losing in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, igniting a row about the ever-present cameras. Gauff suggested that conversations could be had to give the players more privacy. Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula also voiced their concerns, with world No. 2 Swiatek claiming that they felt like “animals in a zoo”.
Novak Djokovic later weighed in, saying he was “against” the surveillance. But the 24-time Grand Slam champion doesn’t think things will change, given the increasing focus on generating content. “That transition of really getting used to having an eye that you don’t hear and may sometimes forget about always on you is frightening,” he added.
Extra cameras started popping up in player corridors and walkways in 2019, giving rightsholders more access to share what was going on behind the scenes, be it players walking onto site for the day, waiting to walk on the court, or enjoying a post-match cool-down.
Not everyone was happy about the Big Brother-style surveillance, and Gauff’s racket smash has reignited the debate. Both Gauff and Pegula suggested that the locker room was the only place the players could have real privacy. But Tennis Australia has now responded, sharing their wish to strike a balance between protecting players’ privacy and giving fans a better insight.
“Striking the right balance between showcasing the personalities and skills of the players, while ensuring their comfort and privacy is a priority for the AO,” Tennis Australia said in a statement.
“Each year we provide more private spaces for players where they can relax, focus on their preparation and work with their teams privately. This includes a player quiet room and strategy rooms, a sleep room, private locker rooms, medical, health, wellbeing and beauty rooms.
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Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said there were several player-only areas (Image: Tennis Channel)
“Cameras capturing behind-the-scenes are positioned in operational areas where the players warm up, cool down and make their journey to and from the court. This is all designed to provide fans with a deeper connection to the athletes and help them build their fan base.
“Our goal is always to create an environment that supports the players to perform at their best, while also helping fans appreciate their skill, professionalism and personalities. As always, we value feedback from the players and will continue to work collaboratively to ensure the right balance.”
Tournament director Craig Tiley echoed that sentiment during an appearance on Tennis Channel. “It’s a good question and the first thing that we do, we want to listen to the players. We want to really understand what their needs and what their wants are, so that’s the first question we’ll ask. We’ve heard you, and whatever adjustments we need to make, we will make,” the Aussie Open boss explained.
“It’s a fine line between the player promotion and the event promotion, and where the cameras are. We do have many areas behind the scenes, for example, we have a coaches room where players and coaches can interact, has no cameras. The locker room, the training rooms, the recovery rooms, the beauty room, the sleep room, there’s many places we have on-site that are player-only, no cameras.
“In the general corridors going in and out of the areas, walking on the court, of course, there are cameras. But we’ll continue to review it and make sure the players are comfortable with it. But at the same time, we also want to bring the fan and the players closer, because we believe that, as tennis players, we can really help lift up their value and also the love the fans have for them. But it’s a fine line that we’ve got to keep walking.”
However, the WTA Tour has taken a very different approach, defending players and backing up their concerns about the cameras. In a statement, the women’s tennis tour said: “The WTA stands with our players and takes their concerns about privacy and cameras at the Australian Open seriously. Players deserve spaces away from competition where they can recover in private.
“At WTA events, we have already taken steps to reduce camera presence in off-court player areas to ensure players have appropriate private spaces. We moved to this standard because we agree that there should be clear, respectful boundaries in off-court areas. We believe this issue should be reviewed by tournament organisers and broadcast partners to ensure appropriate boundaries are in place. We will undertake a dialogue with players and tournaments in an effort to shape a solution to this issue.”
New WTA Chair Valerie Camillo added: “Recent concerns raised by WTA players at the Australian Open about cameras in off-court player areas are completely valid. This is a very human and fair request – athletes need spaces where they can recover and not feel constantly under scrutiny. Providing that space is part of our responsibility as a sport. The WTA is committed to listening to its players and acting on concerns like this.”