Tennis is often described as one of the loneliest sports in the world. No teammates to lean on, no huddle to retreat to, no bench to sit on when the pressure becomes too great. But there is one space where the sport’s biggest names are forced to coexist in close quarters and it turns out, the locker room carries its own unique brand of tension.
On Thursday, April 23, several of the sport’s top players opened up about the psychological weight of sharing communal locker room spaces with the very opponents they are preparing to compete against. What emerged was a candid portrait of a rarely discussed corner of professional tennis life one that blends friendship, rivalry, anxiety and the occasional awkward silence.
Coco Gauff on reading the room
Coco Gauff knows the feeling well. The American star described the particular discomfort of running into a fellow player without knowing how their most recent match went. Without that context, she explained, it is nearly impossible to read the room or the person standing in it.
She noted that interactions with close friends on tour feel manageable, but the etiquette around greeting less familiar competitors during competition week is far less clear. Her personal approach is to say hello regardless, though she has learned that responses can vary widely depending on where a player’s head is at that moment.
The Australian Open earlier this year gave her one memorable example of just how easily locker room encounters can be misread. She recalled spotting a fellow player eating sweets after a match and misreading the situation entirely, only to learn the snacks were what the player jokingly called a coping mechanism not a celebration.
Belinda Bencic and the pre match discomfort
Belinda Bencic pointed to a specific scenario that many players find particularly uncomfortable: getting ready for a match while your opponent is doing the exact same thing just a few feet away. The Swiss player described the challenge of figuring out whether small talk is appropriate or completely unwelcome in those moments.
She acknowledged that every player is different. Some remain relaxed and open to conversation even with a match looming. Others go completely inward and prefer complete silence. With no clear social script to follow, navigating that space requires a kind of emotional intelligence that does not always come naturally under pressure.
Jannik Sinner’s solution
Jannik Sinner has arrived at a practical solution. The world No. 1 said that early in his career he spent considerable time on site lingering in the locker room, eating in the communal restaurant area and generally treating tournament grounds as a place to socialize. That approach has changed dramatically.
These days, Sinner treats the tour as strictly a place of work. He trains, takes care of what he needs to and leaves. The locker room, for him, is no longer somewhere to linger.
Stefanos Tsitsipas on ego and humility
Stefanos Tsitsipas took a broader view, expressing frustration with how success can shift a player’s personality within these shared spaces. He described noticing certain peers become noticeably less approachable after stringing together a few strong results a change in demeanor he finds difficult to understand.
The Greek star said he holds humility in especially high regard, pointing to NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo as someone who embodies that quality despite achieving enormous success.
Madison Keys finds community
Madison Keys offered a warmer perspective. For her, the locker room is less a source of stress and more a source of comfort. She described it as a place where players rivals included can find immediate emotional support during a sport that can otherwise feel deeply isolating. Tough losses hit differently, she suggested, when someone nearby is ready to offer a hug without needing an explanation.
Paula Badosa and the art of avoidance
Paula Badosa was candid about her own coping strategy: avoid eye contact and keep conversation minimal on match days. She suggested this is a widely shared approach among players, even if it goes unspoken.
Daniil Medvedev puts it in perspective
Daniil Medvedev offered some historical context, noting that the current atmosphere tense as it sometimes feels is considerably calmer than what players experienced two decades ago. Accounts passed down from veteran coaches painted a picture of a locker room culture once defined by near constant psychological pressure from the moment a player arrived at the tournament site each morning.
By comparison, today’s environment, awkward silences and all, may actually be progress.
