Gauff insists that Instagram post calling USTA cartoon 'awful' was just a joke

Coco Gauff says a USTA social media post meant to promote US players at the Australian Open had made them look "awful."

Gauff initially responded to the post, which has since been deleted by the USTA, the ruling body for tennis in the United States, in an Instagram story, saying: "Worst thing I've ever seen. Like a caricature artist decided to make (us) all look hideous. The art style is cool for a cartoon show but not for a hype post. Foul."

On Monday, after advancing to the second round at the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, the 19-year-old Gauff said her initial posts were meant to be funny, not serious, but she reiterated that the image, which was in the style of the Wild Thornberrys cartoon, had made all the US players look bad.

"People thought I was being serious, that I was actually mad with it," she said. "And I realize TikTok humor is very different to Twitter. I was like, no, I wasn't mad. We looked awful," she said, smiling.

Gauff said fellow American player Ben Shelton had posted first about the story, then Jessica Pegula got involved, texting her about it. "We were just laughing at each person, we were laughing at Sebi (Korda)'s. I think Ben and Sebi had the worst ones.

"I know it was from a cartoon, and the artist did a great job. I just don't know if I want myself drawn in that art style ... we did not look good at all."

Gauff said she had been sitting in her room all day on Sunday, so had ample time to comment on the USTA post.

"I was just bored and commenting and making fun of it, because everybody else was making fun of us and how bad we looked," she said. "Then, yeah, I saw on Twitter people thought I was serious, but I wasn't. It was all a joke."

Gauff said she tried to contact the USTA, but received no response.

"I did message the USTA account and I was, like, what was the thought process behind this, as a joke," she said. "They never responded. I got left on read by USTA, which sucks. But, you know, it is what it is."

Agencies via Xinhua