“It happens to me, it happened to Serena Williams”: Coco Gauff frustrated after controversial Paris Olympics call, reiterates demand for VAR in tennis
Coco Gauff crashed out of the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s singles event fighting tears on Tuesday, July 30. She lost to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in a third-round battle marred by controversy.
Gauff was involved in a dispute with chair umpire Jaume Campistol over a line call that initially went the American’s way but was changed immediately by the latter. She was unable to return the ball on Vekic’s side of the court, and hence, Campistol awarded the Croatian the point which helped her break Gauff’s serve and move ahead 4-2 in the second set.Gauff protested the decision and asked for the point to be replayed, claiming the lines official called it before her swing but umpire Campistol decided otherwise. The development reduced her to tears as she went back and forth with the official and the supervisor.
Vekic went on to win the set and close the match at 7-6(7), 6-2, ending her opponent’s hope for a singles medal.After the match, Coco Gauff complained of being cheated against like Serena Williams was in the past.
“I feel like I’m getting cheated on constantly in this game, it happens to me, it happened to Serena [Williams]. I don’t think the ref disagreed. I think he just thought it didn’t, like, affect my swing, which I felt like it did,” she told the media (via The Athletic).
A similar controversy erupted in the 20-year-old’s semifinal showdown against Iga Swiatek at the 2024 French Open a few months ago, hence, Gauff felt targeted.
“There have been multiple times this year where that happened to me where I feel like I always have to be an advocate for myself on the court,” she added.
The reigning US Open champion reiterated her demand for bringing the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system to tennis, saying:
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“I feel like in tennis, we should have a VAR system because these points are big deals.”
Coco Gauff: “Usually, afterwards they apologize, it’s kind of frustrating when the sorry doesn’t help you once the match is over”
Coco Gauff (Getty)
Coco Gauff (Getty)
In the same press interaction, Coco Gauff stated the officials do make an apology after the match but that often doesn’t change anything.
“Usually, afterwards they apologize. It’s kind of frustrating when the sorry doesn’t help you once the match is over,” she said.
The American rued the point wasn’t replayed, saying:
“I can’t say I would have won the match if I would have won that point. But being down a break… Maybe replaying that point can make a big difference in that game.”
Coco Gauff has a task on her hands in the mixed doubles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She is scheduled to join compatriot Taylor Fritz to fight Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska and Maximo Gonzalez in the first round later on Tuesday, July 30.
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