Swiatek, Pegula echo Gauff on need for privacy at Australian Open - ESPN

MELBOURNE, Australia — Iga Swiatek voiced support for Coco Gauff's concerns about the constant camera gaze at tennis tournaments, calling for more privacy and space for players to do things «without the whole world watching.»

Gauff highlighted the lack of privacy after her racket-smashing frustration away from the court went viral following her quarterfinal loss at the Australian Open on Tuesday. She said «conversations can be had» about the seemingly limitless access certain cameras have, tracking players from the locker room to the court and just about everywhere in between.

Swiatek, who lost 7-5, 6-1 to fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina on Wednesday, was asked how she felt about the lack of off-camera areas for the players and what she thinks about the balance between entertainment and player privacy.

«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?» she said, apologizing slightly for the latter reference. «OK, 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."

Swiatek and Gauff are two of the top three players in women's tennis, so it stands to reason more of the focus would be on them at the tournament.

The sight of Swiatek being stopped by security after forgetting her credential became a meme. She has won four French Open titles as well as Wimbledon and the US Open — but security is, well, security.

The off-court camera surveillance occurs at other tournaments and isn't unique to the Australian Open, where organizers have created a three-week festival around the season-opening major by incorporating all kinds of