Coco Gauff Opens Up About Awkward Locker Room Moments After Matches
Sharing the locker room with your opponent is awkward already. But sometimes, it gets even worse than that. And the two Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff just opened up about it.
“One of the unique parts of tennis is, you share a locker room with people you play against. Are there ever situations when it’s a bit awkward? Like maybe with your opponent? Or also if you walk in and someone’s in tears…”
This was the question Gauff was asked over the post-game press conference. After she had just racked up a fine 6-2, 6-3 win in the Australian Open against Kamilla Rakhimova. And she didn’t hesitate to answer.
“Yeah, it is awkward. I had an awkward one after my match. I won’t say who. I thought a person won, and they didn’t. I was like ‘Oh!’ And they were like ‘No’ and then I was like ‘Oh’”, Gauff answered.
But the answer didn’t end here. The American explained herself further; “So, there are moments like that where you don’t know whether to speak to the person or not if you haven’t if you haven’t seen the score and how their match goes. So, I’m usually pretty good at doing that, but today was a mess-up.”
Navigating emotions after a match is already difficult, and shared spaces can make it trickier. Still, Gauff said the situation ended well, noting that the other player was “super sweet.”
Now that means one thing for sure: being a pro doesn’t cut you any slack from these awkward moments. For Gauff, the hardest part is something specific. It is “whether to say hi to them or not”.
"I’m someone who usually always says hi, but the responses vary, and I understand. I think the worst about sharing a locker room is seeing someone and knowing they played today, but not knowing how the score went, you don’t know what mood they were in. I always find that hard to navigate.”
But there’s a reason why she understands the mixed emotions and challenges that come with it. She has herself been there.
Wimbledon 2025 feat. Coco Gauff
Gauff had a struggling locker room moment herself after she lost the first round at Wimbledon in 2025 against Dayana Yastremska. The score was 7-6(3), 6-1. Her serving was a major concern at that time. Nine double faults after winning the French Open have to be tough.
“After the match, I definitely was struggling in the locker room....," she revealed, "I don’t like losing. I know my team is gonna tell me, ‘You did well at Roland Garros. Don’t be so upset.’ But I don’t really like losing. I feel a bit disappointed with how I showed up”, she said.
However, Gauff acknowledged that not every interaction is uncomfortable. Sometimes, people who know each other talk like "okay, see you out there”, and that’s fine.
The Australian Open has just begun. There’s more to lose and plenty to win, and for Gauff, it's part of her everyday life.
Which other locker-room secret can make it into the press next? Comment down your answers!
