Iga Swiatek has questioned whether players are like "animals in a zoo" thanks to the Australian Open's omnipresent cameras, while Amanda Anisimova has been forced to accept a lack of privacy. Fans get plenty of behind-the-scenes insight from Melbourne Park, with cameras located throughout the tunnels and player areas in the grounds - but not everyone agrees with the level of access.
The cameras became a talking point following Coco Gauff's shock 59-minute defeat to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday evening. The No. 3 seed destroyed her racket after leaving the court, and the footage went viral. Gauff later explained that she had gone out of her way to find an area without any cameras, but evidently had no luck. "I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn't broadcast it, but obviously they did. So, yeah, maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room," she said.
And the two-time Major winner isn't the only one who believes the Australian Open could row back on the level of behind-the-scenes access given to viewers. Cameras also picked up Iga Swiatek forgetting her credential badge earlier this week, and being denied access until she retrieved it.
And the world No. 2 believes that it's not the players' job to "be a meme". After losing to Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, Swiatek argued: "Yeah, the question is, are we tennis players, or are we, like, animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop, you know? Okay, that was exaggerating obviously, but it would be nice to have some privacy.
"It would be nice also to, I don't know, have your own process and not always be, like, observed. Like, for example, I don't know, in other sports you have some maybe technical things that you want to do, and you have - I don't know, honestly. I don't follow other sports that much, but I guess it would be nice to have some space where you can do that without the whole world watching.
"You know, like, I don't know, on Wimbledon there are courts like Aorangi, like people with accreditation can get there, but it's without the fans. On Roland Garros there's Jean-Bouin. There are some spaces that you can at least go when you need to, but there are some tournaments where it's impossible and you are constantly observed, if not by the fans who can just buy some ground passes and go to your practice, then by the cameras.
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"For sure it's not simple. I don't think it should be like that, because we're tennis players. We're meant to be watched on the court, you know, and in the press. That's our job. It's not our job, like, be a meme when you forget your accreditation. Oh, it's funny, yeah, for sure. People have something to talk about, but for us I don't think it's necessary. Yeah."
While Gauff sounds keen to speak with organisers, Swiatek isn't so sure. "What's the point?" she asked. No. 4 seed Amanda Anisimova, who also lost in the quarter-finals, admitted she knew she didn't have much privacy at the tournament.
"Yeah, I mean, you kind of know after a few days or four or five days that obviously you see on the internet after just you walking around," the American explained.
"I knew that that was there, so I just kept my head down and went to the locker room. Yeah, I don't know, there are good moments, obviously that people see, and that's fun. Then, you know, when you lose, there are probably not-so-good moments. Yeah, I think the fact that the video of Coco that was posted, you know, it's tough, because she didn't have a say in that.
"But, yeah, I think this deep down into the tournament, I knew that I didn't have much privacy, so I just went to the locker room, and I knew that I was able to just be there, so..."
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick has also called out the behind-the-scenes cameras. Speaking on his Served podcast, he said: "Can she go somewhere, where she can just detonate? Can she just be allowed to be p***ed? Also can be there a unisex place for people to have private conversation and/or break something?"
And retired Aussie ace John Millman told Channel 9: "Maybe there should be a room where you can do that privately, where the cameras aren't."
Serena Williams also weighed in after her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, commended Gauff for her raw energy and emotion. "Well said. @alexisohanian Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose. Now Coco when you want I can show you how to demolish in one swipe... Serena style," the 23-time Major champion tweeted.
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