Source: Daniel Kopatsch / Getty
Tennis star Coco Gauff was ousted at the Olympic Games in Paris after contesting a call with an umpire, leaving her in tears.
Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff’s quest for Olympic gold came to an end on Tuesday (July 30) amid controversy and tears after an argument with the chair umpire over a call during the match. Gauff, who was the number 2 seed, lost 7-6(7), 6-2 to Croatia’s Donna Vekić who will continue on to the quarterfinals. Gauff’s exit was all too familiar and frustrating, as the match was held at Court Phillippe Cartier, where the French Open was held a month earlier. Then, the 20-year-old was in a similar situation arguing a call with a chair umpire during a semifinal match that she’d lose to eventual champion Iga Swiatek.
Gauff seemed set to get the victory after a good lead in the first set at 4-1 but Vekić fought her off and would take command of the match. Two games before the match ended, Gauff hit a serve and Vekić’s return landed near the baseline. A line judge had initially called the return out, but chair umpire Jaume Campistol ruled that it was in and awarded Vekić the point which made it 4-2. “I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball,” Gauff was overheard saying to Campistol. “It’s not even a perception; it’s the rules.” She began to tear up and according to Portuguese commentator Jose Morgado, she continued: “I feel like I’m getting cheated constantly in this game. This is the 3rd time this happened to me this year”.
In the post-match press conference, Gauff was transparent about the situation. “There’s been multiple times this year where that’s happened to me — where I felt like I always have to be an advocate for myself on the court,” she said, calling for video reviews to be instituted in tennis while acknowledging the moment wouldn’t have meant victory: “I can’t say I would have won the match if I would have won that point.” Gauff, who was one of the flag bearers for the United States at the opening ceremony, is set to take the court again with teammate Taylor Fritz for the first round of mixed doubles. “I want to come home with something,” she stated. She’s also partnered with Jessica Pegula to compete in women’s doubles.