American tennis star Coco Gauff was visibly emotional following a heated argument with an umpire during her third-round singles match at the Olympic Games in Paris. The reigning US Open champion faced off against Croatia’s Donna Vekic, ultimately losing the match 7-6 (7), 6-2.
The tense moment unfolded two games before the match concluded, with Gauff trailing significantly. After hitting a serve, Vekic returned the ball, which landed near the baseline. A line judge initially ruled the shot out, but chair umpire Jaume Campistol overturned the decision, believing Vekic’s shot was in. This controversial call awarded Vekic a crucial service break, putting her ahead 4-2.
Frustrated by the ruling, Gauff approached the umpire for clarification, leading to a lengthy delay as the argument escalated. The emotional exchange left Gauff in tears, reflecting the intense pressure and stakes of Olympic competition. Despite her disappointment, Gauff’s passion and determination were evident throughout the match.
‘I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball,’ Gauff said to Campistol. ‘It’s not even a perception; it’s the rules. I always have to advocate for myself.’
Gauff was seeded second in Paris and easily won her first two singles matches, dropping a total of just five games.
But her first Olympic singles tournament — she is still in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles — ended with a performance that was hardly her best on the hottest day of the Summer Games so far, with the heat rising above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).
Even before the trouble over the umpiring decision, Gauff could not sustain a good start against Vekic, who was a semifinalist at Wimbledon this month.
She led 4-1 and was a point from moving ahead 5-1 and serving for the opening set. But she couldn’t close the deal, then wasted a couple of set points at 6-4 in the ensuing tiebreaker. Vekic surged to the end of that set, then maintained her level in the second.
Coco Gauff’s match against Donna Vekic at the Olympic Games showcased not only the Croatian player’s dominance—finishing with 33 winners compared to Gauff’s nine—but also highlighted the intense emotions surrounding disputed calls. The most memorable moment came during the second set, marked by a contentious argument with chair umpire Jaume Campistol.
This incident isn’t Gauff’s first encounter with what she perceives as incorrect officiating. In fact, it echoes her recent experience at the French Open, where she faced eventual champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. During that match, Gauff expressed her frustration with the chair umpire over a similar call, describing the situation as “almost ridiculous” given that tennis lacks video replay technology, unlike many other sports.
While discussing the controversial call with Campistol and a supervisor on Tuesday, Gauff referenced her previous match against Swiatek, underscoring her ongoing frustrations with officiating standards in tennis. Despite her disappointment in the match outcome, Gauff’s resilience and advocacy for change in the sport continue to shine through.
‘It always happens here at the French Open to me. Every time,’ Gauff said, holding a tennis ball in one hand and her racket in the other while pleading her case. ‘This is like the fourth, fifth time it’s happened this year.’
Vekic did not get involved, staying at her end of the court and fiddling with her strings.
When Gauff gave up and headed back on court to resume play, fans booed loudly — anger directed at the official.
The first point of the next game went Gauff’s way, and spectators cheered wildly for her. But about 10 minutes later, the match was over.
