Coco Gauff was eliminated from the women’s singles bracket of the 2024 Paris Olympics this week. The 20-year-old tennis star did not go out without a fight. Gauff tearfully argued with an umpire over a call she believed was wrong before losing the match.
On Tuesday morning (July 30), Gauff faced Donna Vekic of Croatia. In a contentious moment, Gauff served the ball, and Vekic returned it near the baseline. The line judge called the ball out, and Gauff did not keep it in play. However, chair umpire Jaume Campistol believed Vekic’s return landed inside the boundaries, awarding her the point and giving her a 4-2 lead.
Gauff, visibly emotional, approached the official. “I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball,” she told Campistol. “It’s not even a perception; it’s the rules.” This decision made Gauff’s ability to come back even more difficult.
A Pattern of Controversy for Gauff
Gauff’s frustration was evident as she trailed 3-2 in the second set. Vekic’s service return, initially called out, led Gauff to ease up on her backhand response, causing a miss. The chair umpire ruled the ball in, granting Vekic the break point and the game for a 4-2 lead. Gauff began to cry while arguing her case.
“I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball,” Gauff reiterated. “It always happens to me on this court.” She later added, “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.”
This was not the first time Gauff faced such an issue. During her elimination from the French Open in June, a similar incident occurred with Iga Swiatek’s serve. Gauff cried then as well, feeling the call impacted her next shot.
Despite the setback, Gauff remains in the competition. The U.S. Open champion, who was the No. 2 seed, continues to compete in women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
In the end, Vekic won the last two games, securing the match 7-6 (7), 6-2.