Melbourne (Australia), Jan 28 (EFE). - Novak Djokovic, fourth in the ATP rankings, expressed his discomfort with the growing presence of cameras in players' private areas at the Australian Open and lamented the lack of intimacy on the professional circuit. The Serbian showed understanding towards recent complaints from female tennis players about constant exposure off the court and stated that the situation responds to a commercial logic that is difficult to reverse. "We live in an era where content is everything. Not everything has to be content," he claimed. Although he assumed that the trend is unlikely to be reversed, Djokovic recalled the psychological impact of living under constant surveillance. "It's sad that you can't find a place to vent without a camera recording you," he stated at a press conference after his quarter-final match. Djokovic criticized the trend of turning tournaments into a kind of permanent television show. "I'm not trying to do it on court in front of kids or anything like that. I'm surprised we don't have cameras while we shower yet. That could be the next step," he said sarcastically, making clear his opposition to this development. The 24-time Grand Slam winner defended the need to establish boundaries between players' public and private lives. "Getting used to feeling that there is always an eye on you, even when you want to relax or be yourself, can be unsettling," he concluded. His statements come after footage emerged the day before of the world number three, Gauff, repeatedly hitting her racket on the ground in frustration after her defeat to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. Gauff stated that she tried to vent her emotions off the court and away from the cameras. "I just need to release my emotions; otherwise, I'm going to be irritable with the people around me," she explained.
