Top tennis players Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff are backing the idea of 'rage rooms' at tournaments. The concept, first trialed at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, offers players a private space to vent frustrations away from public view.
Sabalenka, the world number one, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, joking that she might need an entire day to use such a facility. Her comments follow Coco Gauff's on-court racket-smashing incident at the Australian Open, which brought player privacy concerns to the forefront.
Gauff, initially mistaking the rage room concept for an AI creation, later confirmed her support. She stated that if she felt the need to release frustration, she would readily use the room, finding the idea of breaking plates potentially more appealing than smashing racquets. The debate around player privacy at tournaments has been a growing concern, with other prominent players also calling for better protections.