Paris, France – American tennis star Coco Gauff found herself in tears after a heated dispute with the chair umpire during her match against Donna Vekic at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. Gauff, the current US Open singles champion, was facing a tough challenge in the second set of her match, eventually losing 7-6, 6-2.
The incident occurred when a line judge initially called Vekic’s shot out, but the chair umpire, Jaume Campistol, believed it was in, awarding Vekic the point and a service break. Gauff approached the official, causing a delay in play, and expressed her disagreement with the call, citing the rules that she felt were not followed correctly.
Despite being seeded second in the women’s singles event in Paris, Gauff struggled to maintain her form against Vekic, who had recently reached the Wimbledon semi-finals. The match saw Gauff squander a lead and multiple set points, ultimately succumbing to Vekic’s dominance on the court, with the Croatian finishing with 33 winners compared to Gauff’s nine.
This was not the first time Gauff faced controversy over a disputed call, as a similar incident occurred during her French Open semi-final match against Iga Świątek. Gauff has been vocal about the lack of video replay technology in tennis and expressed frustration at the recurring challenges she faces with officiating decisions.
Despite the match ending in Vekic’s favor, Gauff maintained that the disputed call did not determine the outcome of the match, recognizing that she was already facing an uphill battle. The crowd responded with both boos and cheers during the match, reflecting the intensity of the situation on the court.
As Gauff continues to compete in the Olympics in women’s doubles and mixed doubles, she remains focused on her performance and determined to overcome any obstacles that come her way. The young American’s resilience and tenacity in the face of adversity continue to be a testament to her strength as a rising star in the world of tennis.