At the Australian Open this year, the spotlight shifted from baseline battles to player privacy, as cameras left little room for raw emotion. Now, with the ATX Open unveiling a bold “rage room” concept, momentum is building behind the idea. And ahead of Indian Wells, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka weighed in, adding star power to the debate.

Aryna Sabalenka reacted with excitement to the new rage room idea. Speaking during the buildup, she kept her response short and direct.

“Oh, that’s cool, let’s do that,” she said. “But I think after me, there will be nothing to destroy. I would be there the whole day.”

On the other side, Coco Gauff had a different first reaction. When she first saw the concept introduced in Austin, she could hardly believe it was real. She admitted that she initially dismissed it.

“That was ‌real? ⁠I thought it was an AI. My mom sent it to me, and I told her it was an AI,” she said. “She believes so many AI things,”

Once she realized the rage room was genuine, Gauff embraced the idea. The 21-year-old American even joked about its inspiration.

“For sure, ⁠it was inspired by me, I guess. So I’ll take it nicely. If I felt like I needed to let go of some ⁠frustration, I would definitely be in the rage room,” she said, adding that breaking plates would probably be more fun than smashing a racket.

The comments came after the ATX Open introduced a private rage room for players. The move followed Gauff’s racket-smashing moment at the AO in January. That incident reignited debate about player privacy at tournaments.

Even following the AO moment, several players called for greater off-court privacy. Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek were among those who supported the idea of more protected spaces. Jessica Pegula later explained why smashing rackets in locker rooms would not be ideal.

The Austin-based WTA 250 event described it as a first-of-its-kind concept.

“Introducing the ATX Open rage room – the first of its kind – where players can privately express frustration or emotion in a safe, camera-free environment,” the tournament posted on social media.

The post showed a sign reading “Don’t smile” and “Count to three” next to a broken racket. The visual message was clear. This was a space designed for release, not performance.

Meanwhile, organizers at the Dubai Tennis Championships introduced a public “Smash Room” truck for fans. Chinese player Shang Juncheng even tried it on camera.

“I smashed a few items, including DVDs and big containers,” he said. “It’s loud, and it’s intense, but in a good way. You get everything out of your system in there instead of taking that frustration onto the court.” 

Now, Sabalenka and Gauff have returned to the California desert for Indian Wells. Both face a challenging draw as the Masters event approaches. But this time, if emotions run high, there may be a safer place to let them out.

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff’s projected Indian Wells final paths

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff now know their paths at the Indian Wells Open. The draw for the WTA 1000 event is out. Both stars face demanding routes.

Sabalenka arrives in strong form. She has won one title and reached another final in 2026. Her record stands at 11-1 this season. She received a first-round bye. In round two, she could face wildcard Alycia Parks. That match may test her early rhythm.

Maya Joint could wait in the third round. A fourth-round clash might come against Naomi Osaka or Iva Jovic. Each presents a different challenge. A quarterfinal against Amanda Anisimova is possible. After that, Sabalenka could meet Gauff in the semifinals. A blockbuster battle may unfold there.

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If she reaches the final, she could face the second seed, Iga Swiatek. That would be a high-stakes showdown. It could shape the Sunshine Swing narrative.

Gauff enters with a 10-4 record this season. She also has a first-round bye. Her opening match could be against Bianca Andreescu, another former US Open champion.

Alexandra Eala is a possible third-round opponent. Gauff recently beat her convincingly in Dubai. Linda Noskova and Jasmine Paolini may stand in her way later. Gauff might need to defeat both Sabalenka and Swiatek to lift the trophy. The road is steep for both contenders. 

As the Sunshine Double begins, the question remains: who reaches the final between these two?