Coco Gauff walked away from a conversation with a line judge in tears after a controversial call that she believes may have caused her to lose the third-round match to Croatia’s Donna Vekic at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
As Gauff prepared to return a serve in the second set, a line judge reportedly called it "out." Gauff, who was trailing 3-2 at that point, therefore believed the play to be dead and casually hit the ball back into the net.
Unfortunately, however, the chair umpire ruled that the serve was good, which advanced Vekic to a 4-2 lead.
Gauff approached the chair and argued her case, but to no avail.
She can be heard saying:
“I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball."
“It always happens to me on this court.”
You can watch below.
Vekic went on to take the last two games, ultimately beating out Gauff for the win.
While people on social media watching the replay agreed the ball was in bounds after the serve, they also agreed that Gauff was right to argue her case, given the line judge audibly called it out, with many believing the point should have been replayed.
After the match, Gauff told The Associated Press:
“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."
“I felt that he called it before I hit, and I don’t think the ref disagreed."
“I think he just thought it didn’t affect my swing, which I felt like it did.”
While this moment was obviously heartbreaking for the tennis star, Gauff still has two chances to medal in Paris.
Later on Tuesday, she and teammate Taylor Fritz won their first-round mixed doubles match against Nadia Podoroska and Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina, advancing them to the quarterfinals.
Gauff will also be competing in women's doubles with Jessica Pegula.
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