Feb 26 (Reuters) - A WTA tournament in Texas has unveiled a "rage room" for players to take out their frustrations away from the cameras after Coco Gauff's racket-smashing outburst at the Australian Open last month sparked debate about privacy at tournaments.
Shortly after Gauff's 59-minute quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina at Melbourne Park, the American went to the match call area and repeatedly smashed her racket on the ground, unaware that it was being broadcast to viewers around the world.
Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek were among the players calling for more privacy off the court following the incident.
The ATX Open in Austin, Texas, has come up with a solution.
"Introducing the ATX Open rage room - the first of its kind - where players can privately express frustration or emotion in a safe, camera-free environment," the WTA 250 tournament posted on its social media platforms.
The post also featured a sign with the words "don't smile" and "count to three" along with a broken racket.
While reaction online was largely positive, some questioned whether the room would encourage players to vent their frustrations in a physical manner.
Dubai Tennis Championships organisers have set up a "Smash Room" truck for fans this week, with Chinese player Shang Juncheng invited to try it out in front of the cameras.
"I smashed a few items, including DVDs and big containers," she said. "It's loud and it's intense but in a good way. You get everything out of your system in there instead of taking that frustration onto the court."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
