PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff’s pursuit of Olympic glory came to a frustrating halt on Tuesday as she was knocked out of the singles tournament at the Paris Olympics by Croatia’s Donna Vekic, losing 7-6 (7), 6-2 in a match marred by a contentious officiating decision.
The defeat occurred on the familiar grounds of Court Philippe Chatrier, a venue where Gauff had recently experienced a similar setback during the French Open. The 20-year-old American, who was the No. 2 seed and a prominent figure at the Games, was visibly upset as she clashed with the chair umpire over a pivotal call.
The controversy arose late in the match when Gauff was penalized after the chair umpire, Jaume Campistol, overruled a line judge’s call. The line judge had initially ruled Vekic’s return shot out, but Campistol decided it was in, awarding Vekic a crucial service break. Gauff contested the decision, insisting that the call was made before she had hit the ball, but her appeals were in vain.
Gauff’s frustration was palpable as she argued with Campistol and a supervisor, her emotional response drawing sympathy from the crowd. Despite her protestations, the match continued, and Vekic, capitalizing on her momentum, delivered a commanding performance to close out the match. Vekic’s 33 winners compared to Gauff’s nine underscored the Croatian’s dominance on the court.
“I never argue these calls,” Gauff said after the match. “But he called it out before I hit the ball. It’s not even a perception; it’s the rules.” Her disappointment was further compounded by the fact that she had been leading 4-1 in the first set and had opportunities to capitalize on those early gains.
The loss is a significant blow for Gauff, who had high hopes for the Olympics, aiming to win medals in singles, women’s doubles with Jessica Pegula, and mixed doubles with Taylor Fritz. Despite her singles exit, Gauff showed resilience by securing a victory in the mixed doubles with Fritz later in the day, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Vekic, now moving forward in the tournament, expressed her thoughts on the disputed call, acknowledging the difficulty in assessing such situations in real-time. “It’s a very tricky situation. I thought the umpire made a good decision, but I’ll have to rewatch it,” she said.
For Gauff, the Olympics continued with her participation in women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Despite the setback, she remains determined to secure medals in her remaining events. “I want to come home with something,” she stated, reflecting on her continued pursuit of Olympic success.
