Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka comment on the bold concept of a rage room.

At this year’s Australian Open, attention shifted from the intense battles on the baseline to the issue of player privacy, a growing concern in the world of tennis. Now, with the introduction of the bold concept of a “rage room” at the ATX Open, the discussion takes on new dimensions and attracts the attention of stars like Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka, who did not hesitate to share their reactions.

Aryna Sabalenka, known for not hiding her feelings, reacted enthusiastically to the innovative idea of the rage room. During a press conference, the Belarusian simply said, “Oh, that’s cool, let’s do it.” Her straightforward approach did not conceal the intensity with which she would embrace the experience, joking, “But I think after me there won’t be anything left to destroy. I would be there all day!”

On the other hand, young American Coco Gauff had an unexpected reaction to her first encounter with the concept. When she saw the idea for the first time, she couldn’t believe it was real. “Is this real? I thought it was AI… I would probably use this… maybe I should book one of these and actually break plates, that would probably be more fun than breaking a racket,” Gauff said, laughing at the situation. She admitted that, upon realizing the rage room was genuine, she was excited about the possibility. “If I felt like I needed to release some frustration, I would definitely be in the rage room,” she added, emphasizing that the experience of breaking plates could be much more enjoyable than damaging a racket.

These statements came after the ATX Open introduced a private rage room for players, a move that gained attention following Gauff’s moment when she broke her racket at the Australian Open in January. That incident reignited the debate over the need for greater privacy for athletes during tournaments. Players like Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek have also spoken out in favor of more protected spaces off the field, and Jessica Pegula explained why breaking rackets in locker rooms might not be the best solution.

The ATX Open described its new room as an unprecedented concept. “We present the ATX Open rage room – the first of its kind – where players can express frustration or emotion privately, in a safe environment without cameras,” the tournament announced on social media. The images showed a sign with the instructions “no smiling” and “count to three” next to a broken racket, conveying the clear message that this was a space for release, not performance.

Meanwhile, at the Dubai Tennis Championships, a public “Smash Room” has been introduced for fans, where Chinese player Shang Juncheng experienced the thrill of smashing objects in front of the cameras. He described the experience as “loud and intense, but in a good way. You let everything out there instead of carrying that frustration onto the court.” Unlike the public attraction in Dubai, the anger room in Austin remains strictly private for players.

With the arrival of Sabalenka and Gauff in the California desert for the Indian Wells, both face a challenging path in the Masters. But now, if emotions escalate, there may be a safe space to release them.

As for their paths in the Indian Wells Open, the two stars already know their opponents. Aryna Sabalenka, in strong form, arrives at the tournament after winning a title and reaching another final in 2026, with a record of 11-1 for the season. She started with a bye in the first round and may face wildcard Alycia Parks, who could be a test for her initial rhythm. In the third round, she could meet Maya Joint, and a potential clash in the quarter-finals against Amanda Anisimova looms. If all goes well, Sabalenka may find Gauff in the semifinals, setting the stage for an explosive showdown.

Coco Gauff, with a record of 10-4 this season, also starts with a bye. Her first opponent could be Bianca Andreescu, another US Open champion, and a potential third-round opponent is Alexandra Eala, whom Gauff has already defeated in Dubai. The path is steep for both competitors, and the question lingering in the air is: who will manage to reach the final? The start of the Sunshine Double promises intense emotions and a spectacle worthy of the great tennis tournaments.