'This is heartbreaking': Devastation for Coco Gauff after tough quarter final defeat

Coco Gauff did her best to conceal her anger on the court after her quarter final loss to Elina Svitolina, before venting her upset once entering the player's area.

A dominant display by the top-ranked Ukrainian saw Gauff eliminated in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 in front of a stacked crowd on Rod Laver Arena.

It was clear the American was holding back frustrations in the final few games, seen taking deep breaths and spinning her racquet around.

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But she managed to keep herself composed enough to make it through the final minutes of the game before she headed down the players' tunnel to reflect on her match.

Gauff vented her anger by smashing two racquets.

"This is heartbreaking ... the frustrations," Nine presenter James Bracey said.

"You could see she wanted to do that out on the court. It is tough viewing, isn't it?"

Asked at her post-match press conference, Gauff said she waited to smash her racquet when she found a private space off-court.

"I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn't a camera, because I don't necessarily like breaking racquets let alone two," she said.

"I have broken one at the French Open, I think in the round of 16, I said I wouldn't do it again on court because I don't feel like that is a good representation of me.

"For me, I know myself. I don't want to lash out on my team, they are good people and don't deserve that. I took a minute to go and do that. I don't think it's a bad thing. I won't do it on court in front of kids or things like that.

"I do know I need to let out that emotion otherwise I'll be snappy with the people around me. I just need to let the frustration out."

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Gauff's frustrations were also evident during a heated exchange with her team during the match.

At one point she enlisted the help of one of the ball kids to assist her with relaying messages to her team about her racquet, much to the surprise of experts.

"There are all sorts of shenanigans going on here," Samantha Smith said on Nine.

"She's going back and forth. Hang on, she's not done yet."

"Let's hope (the ball kid) got the messages right," Alicia Molik added.

Svitolina went on to win the opening set 6-1, only for her rival to then turn her attention to confronting those in her own box.

Gauff was clearly unimpressed as she spoke with her team, only to hear the words 'keep doing it" - an encouragement attempt that was not going down well.

"Keep fighting Coco, keep going," one member of her team was heard saying.

In the end, Svitolina proved to be just too strong and booked her spot in the semi finals.

Gauff gave her opponent full credit for causing havoc to her game plan.

"I just felt like all the things I usually do well I wasn't doing well today," Gauff said.

"Today was a bad day, but bad days are often caused by your opponents. She did well."

Svitolina will face world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis on Thursday.