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The seemingly pointed message emblazoned on Marta Kostyuk's husband Heorhii's cap during her clash against Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Australian Open has left tennis fans shocked.
Gauff progressed to the semifinals of the Melbourne Slam for the first time in her career with a hard-fought 7-6(6), 6-7(3), 6-2 win over Marta Kostyuk after a demanding three-hour and eight-minute battle. The 19-year-old displayed her resilience during the match, fending off two set points and mounting a comeback after failing to serve out the match in the second set.
Beyond the on-court action, Marta Kostyuk's husband garnered attention by sporting a cap with the message 'SHAKE YOUR COCOS.' That stirred interest among fans given the Ukrainian was facing Coco Gauff.
The cap has another connection to the tennis world as it belongs to the brand Cocowi, founded by Spanish tennis player Fernando Verdasco.
Tennis fans couldn't contain their surprise at Kostyuk's husband's choice of cap, with several of them claiming they couldn't believe their eyes.
"Is a guy in Marta’s player box wearing a ‘Shake Your Cocos’ hat?! Or am I hallucinating due to lack of sleep which is entirely possible??" a fan commented.
"As if this Coco Gauff -Marta Kostyuk match couldn’t get more bizarre, Kostyuk newly made spouse Heorhii with the bizarre “Shake your Cocos” hat. It’s just funny, nothing more than that," another fan chimed in.
Meanwhile, one fan criticized the cap as "tacky" and rejoiced at the American battling past Kostyuk into the semifinals.
"Tacky as hell. Coco is gonna shake herself into the semis," the fan posted.
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
Coco Gauff: "Really proud of the fight that I showed today, Marta Kostyuk is a tough opponent"
Following her win, Coco Gauff took pride in her performance against a formidable opponent like Marta Kostyuk. She highlighted her resilient attitude, expressing satisfaction with her fighting spirit throughout the match.
"[I am feeling] happy. Really proud of the fight that I showed today. Marta is a tough opponent. Every time we play, it's a tough match. And yeah, I really fought and left it all on the court today," she said during her on-court interview.
The 19-year-old also conveyed her gratitude for the crowd's support at the Rod Laver Arena. She then encouraged fans to extend the same support to her compatriot, Taylor Fritz, in his quarterfinal clash against Novak Djokovic.
"Yeah, it was really great [to play in a packed stadium today]. To be out here, a lot of American flags. I think Taylor Fritz plays next, so hopefully you guys can stay and cheer for him. I know you guys love Novak in Australia. I love Novak too but I gotta go with my countryman. So hopefully those flags can stay out here for the next match," she said.
After her win over Marta Kostyuk, Coco Gauff will play against the winner of the match between Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova in the semifinals of the Australian Open.
