Olympic Gold Medalist Slams 'Ridiculous' Filming Of Coco Gauff: 'Where Is The Protection?'

Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields is rushing to Coco Gauff's defense after the tennis phenom was caught on camera smashing her racquet. The emotional moment was shared online following Gauff's loss to Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open.

Coco Gauff, who recently made Forbes' list as the highest-paid female athlete of 2025, addressed the incident in a post-match conference and voiced her frustration about the moment to reporters. In addition to Shields, Gauff received an outpouring of love and support from other major stars and fans alike.

Gauff's passionate outburst was captured on camera and broadcast to the world. The acclaimed tennis star addressed the moment with the media afterward, stating the producers didn't need to showcase her emotional reaction.

Gauff explained that she tried to go somewhere private to release her emotions because she didn't want the moment captured. She also noted that she doesn't "necessarily like breaking rackets" before moving on to the next question.

Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, blasted the broadcasters in a social media post, defending Gauff amid criticism, before making a shocking suggestion.

"See, this is ridiculous," Shields posted on X before echoing Gauff's earlier statements. "She went where it was private to release her frustration and y'all still followed her and then POSTED IT!"

Shields stated Gauff needs "protection" during these moments, declaring herself part of "#TeamCoco." Before wrapping up her post, Shields offered a shocking suggestion for the 21-year-old. "She should've broke the racquet on whoever was recording her," she finished.

Social media users seemed to agree with Shields, with one Instagram user commenting that it's normal for athletes to have emotions. Another user suggested it's only athletes of color who are criticized for having emotional outbursts during sporting events.

"They made sure they got her on camera. They love to portray the black woman in a negative light, any chance they can," another user said.

Tennis royalty Serena Williams also jumped into the conversation about Gauff smashing her racquet, calling the intense moment nothing but "passion." Williams shared online that athletes with a competitive drive hate nothing more than losing.

Williams finished the post by offering Gauff sound advice on how to be more effective during her frustration sessions. "Now, Coco, when you want, I can show you how to demolish in one swipe... Serena style," she finished, according to The Blast.

Williams' positive words were in response to her husband, Alexis Ohanian, posting about how much he enjoyed seeing Gauff's "energy and emotion" after the loss. Ohanian explained that he's a fan of sports because of the real, "raw" moments that follow electrifying wins and devastating losses.

"Media are gonna spin this private moment for a headline to get some clicks, but Coco did nothing wrong here," he finished.

Although the Australian Open loss will sting for a bit, Gauff still has much to celebrate these days, including becoming the highest-paid woman in sports in 2025, according to Forbes.

Besides winning two singles titles, Gauff signed lucrative deals with Mercedes-Benz and Chase Bank, as well as extending her deal with New Balance. Forbes also reported that the tennis player's presence behind the camera, developing TV shows and movies, has contributed to her massive $33 million payday.

Also on the list were fellow tennis players Aryna Sabalenka ($30 million), Iga Swiatek ($25.1 million), Qinwen Zheng ($22.6 million), Naomi Osaka ($12.5 million), and Elena Rybakina ($12.5 million).

In 2024, Gauff gushed about being the 2024 Paris Olympic opening ceremony flagbearer for the United States. She stood next to NBA champion LeBron James and called the moment "an honor," according to PEOPLE.

Gauff took the special occasion in, sharing she was overly "emotional" while speaking with her mother about the big news. The tennis player admitted she wanted "to cry" upon finding out because of how much the moment meant to her.

"... I don't take it for granted, and I am going to try and take it all in, and I know this will be a memory I will remember for the rest of my life," she said.