Watch: Svitolina ousts Gauff in Australian Open; triggers racket smash

Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Elina Svitolina needed just 59 minutes to oust Coco Gauff from the 2026 Australian Open quarterfinals, triggering a racket smash from the United States' top-ranked tennis player.

Svitolina topped her No. 3 foe 4-0 in aces, 12-3 in winners and 6-1 in break point conversions in the 6-1, 6-2 triumph Tuesday in Melbourne. The No. 12 Ukrainian also logged 16 unforced errors compared to Gauff's 26.

"She played really well," Gauff told reporters, when asked about Svitolina. "Unfortunately, usually when people raise their level, I'm able to raise mine. Today, I just didn't do that. I have to figure out how not to do that again."

La BRONCA de Coco Gauff tras perder en solo 59 minutos...

Mirá el #AO26 en el Plan Premium de Disney Plus. pic.twitter.com/Jdrx4Y3CFA— ESPN Tenis (@ESPNtenis) January 27, 2026

Gauff admitted to struggles with her backhand, forehand and returns, but credited Svitolina for forcing the errant play. She sent her final backhand return wide of the court.

Gauff congratulated Svitolina at the net before walking toward the locker room. An ESPN broadcast camera then caught her smashing her racket onto a concrete floor in a fit of frustration.

"I tried to go somewhere where there were no cameras," Gauff said. "I feel like certain moments ... they don't need to broadcast. I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn't a camera because I don't necessarily like breaking rackets."

Gauff said she previously broke rackets, but vowed never to do it again on the court because she didn't think it "was a good representation" of herself to show in front of children. She also said that she chose to channel her frustration into the racket smash so that she wouldn't "lash out" on her team.

Svitolina will meet top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. The Ukrainian, who is now a four-time major semifinalist, will fight the Belarusian for her first appearance in a major final.

"I'm very pleased with the way I've been playing, not only in this match, but in the tournament overall," Svitolina said. "I'm just very happy to be in the semifinalist finally after so many years here, so many tries."

No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland will take on No. 5 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the third women's quarterfinal and first singles match of Day 11. No. 4 Amanda Anisimova will face fellow American Jessica Pegula (No. 6) in the last women's quarterfinal.

The winners from those matches will meet in the other semifinal. The winner of that match will battle Sabalenka or Svitolina in the 2026 Australian Open women's singles final.

Sabalenka beat No. 29 Iva Jovic of the United States 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday in Melbourne. She held advantages of 7-1 in aces, 31-12 in winners and 4-0 in break point conversions in that 69-minute quarterfinal.

No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and No. 3 Alexander Zverev of Germany also advanced through quarterfinal victories on Day 10. Alcaraz beat No. 6 Alex de Minaur of Australia 7-5, 6-2, 6-1. Zverev beat No. 29 Learner Tien of the United States 6-3, 6(5)-7, 6-1, 7-6(3) to clinch his ticket to a semifinal meeting with Alcaraz.

Rybakina will meet Swiatek in the first women's quarterfinal of Day 11. Pegula and Anisimova will face off in the next match at Rod Laver Arena.

No. 4 Novak Djokovic of Serbia will take on No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the first men's quarterfinal of Day 11. No. 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy will face No. 7 Ben Shelton of the United States in another men's singles quarterfinal.

The winners from those men's quarterfinals will face off for a chance to face Alcaraz or Zverev in the 2026 Australian Open men's singles final.

An encore broadcast of quarterfinal play will air at 2 p.m. EST Tuesday on ESPN2. Additional quarterfinal coverage will air at 9 p.m. on the same network.