Coco Gauff was visibly upset and in tears after a lengthy argument with the chair umpire during her 7-6 (7), 6-2 defeat to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the Paris Olympics singles third round.
Already trailing significantly when the argument occurred, Gauff became frustrated when chair umpire Jaume Campistol overturned an out call on Vekic’s shot, granting Vekic a break and a 4-2 lead. Gauff, clearly distressed, debated with Campistol for several minutes.
“I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball,” Gauff said. “It’s not even a matter of perception; it’s the rules. I always have to stand up for myself.”
The 20-year-old from Florida, who was the second seed in Paris, had a strong start to the tournament but struggled against Vekic, a Wimbledon semifinalist. The match took place on one of the hottest days of the Games, with temperatures surpassing 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).
The American was ahead 4-1 and just a point away from a 5-1 lead and serving for the first set. However, she couldn’t finish it off and missed multiple set points at 6-4 in the tiebreaker. Vekic seized the chance, won the set, and continued her strong performance in the second.
Vekic’s dominance was evident with 33 winners compared to only nine for Gauff. The most memorable aspect of the match, however, was the dispute in the second set.
This wasn’t Gauff’s first experience with a contentious call — nor her first in Court Philippe Chatrier, the main stadium of the French Open.
In a recent French Open semifinal against Iga Swiatek, Gauff faced a similar issue, arguing with the chair umpire with no resolution. After that match, she criticized the absence of video replay technology in tennis, unlike in many other sports.
During her argument with Campistol and a supervisor on the court, Gauff mentioned the Swiatek match.
“It always happens here at the French Open to me. Every time,” Gauff said, holding a tennis ball and racket while making her point. “This is like the fourth or fifth time it’s happened this year.”
Vekic stayed out of the situation, remaining on her side of the court and tweaking her strings. When Gauff came back to resume play, the crowd reacted with loud boos, showing their displeasure with the umpire.
Gauff won the first point of the next game, which elicited excited cheers from the audience. But, within roughly 10 minutes, the match was over.
Coco Gauff was visibly emotional and in tears after her match ended in defeat, marking a poignant moment in her challenging tournament.
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