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What Happened to Coco Gauff? Tennis Star Loses It in Argument With Chair Umpire During Controversial Olympics Upset
Fans spotted Coco Gauff in tears after a tough loss at the Paris Olympics. The situation escalated when she had a long argument with the chair umpire about a ruling during her match
The scene felt all too familiar to Coco Gauff. An officiating decision she was sure was wrong. A chair umpire who wouldn’t listen. Tears streamed down her cheeks. And, most disappointing of all, a loss, this time at the Paris Olympics.
Time and place seemed to blur. Court Philippe Chatrier was where the reigning U.S. Open champion was eliminated in the third round at the Summer Games by Donna Vekic of Croatia 7-6 (7), 6-2 on Tuesday. That’s also the main stadium used annually for the French Open, where Gauff found herself in a nearly identical dispute over a call while being defeated by eventual champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals last month.
Who did Coco Gauff lose to?
Coco Gauff was left in tears after getting into an extended argument with the chair umpire during her loss to Donna Vekic at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday.
Gauff, one of the Olympic flag bearers and the reigning US Open singles champion, was trailing in the second set of her 7-6, 6-2 loss when she tangled with the umpire.
So, what exactly happened?
Coco Gauff's run in the women's singles tournament in Paris came to a crashing halt on Tuesday following a last-minute call reversal in her match against Croatia's Donna Vekic.
Toward the end of the second set, with Gauff down 2-3, 30-40, Vekic returned a forehand shot that was ruled out by a line judge as Gauff was striking the ball. Because of the call, which typically ends a point, Gauff didn't finish her stroke properly, resulting in the ball hitting the net. After Gauff made contact, the chair umpire called for a correction to the out call. The correction ruled Vekic’s shot to be in and Gauff’s return shot a fault. The result would give Vekic a break.
Gauff immediately disputed the point with the chair umpire.
“You called the ball out before I even hit the ball,” the 20-year-old emphatically told the ref.
“That doesn’t matter,” the chair umpire responded.
After a short time, International Tennis Federation tournament referee Clare Wood came on court, causing Gauff to change the target of her challenges.
“It always happens to me on this court,” Gauff noted as tears streamed down her face. “I feel like I’ve been cheated on constantly. I hope one day the game becomes fair because it’s not."
Though the crowd seemed to be on Gauff's side, hurling criticism at Vekic as the two returned to play, the American was unable to regain the composure with which she began the tournament, eventually losing the second set.
What was the ruling that caused Coco Gauff’s loss against Donna Vekic?
When the line judge called Vekic's ball "out," it would normally signify that Vekic's shot landed outside of the tennis court and was, therefore, a fault. In normal circumstances, the rally would end, and the point would be awarded to Gauff.
But the chair umpire quickly overruled the line umpire's "out' call and shouted, "Correction." Thus, Vekic's shot that was previously called out was still considered in play, and Gauff's return after was considered a fault. As a result, Vekic won the rally and the point.
READ MORE: Coco Gauff's Experiences Abandonment In Olympic Village By US Tennis Team
What happened to Coco Gauff during the French Open?
In Gauff's 2024 French Open semifinal match against Iga Swiatek, she also had another call correction debate.
In the second set, Swiatek hit a serve that was called out. As the ball was being called out, Gauff went to strike the ball; the timing of the call coincided with Gauff's hit, and Gauff returned the serve.
Chair umpire Aurélie Tourte reversed the out call against Swiatek and awarded the serve point to the Polish powerhouse. Gauff argued that it was unfair because the outcall impacted her stroke.
“At this point, it’s almost ridiculous that we don’t have [video review],” Gauff told the press after the match. “There are so many decisions that are made, and it sucks as a player to go back or [watch] online, and you see that you were completely right. And it’s like: What does that give you in that moment?”
Does Coco Gauff still have a chance to win medals?
Although she was eliminated in the singles, Gauff will still be active in Paris 2024. The 2023 US Open winner is still active in mixed doubles and women’s doubles. In the former, she will partner Taylor Fritz and face Gabriela Dabrowski and Felix Auger-Aliassime tomorrow at 06:00 ET on Court Simonne-Mathieu. An hour later, she is scheduled to play alongside Jessica Pegula against Czechs Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova.
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