What happened to Coco Gauff? The controversy explained!

Coco Gauff’s quest for an Olympic medal in Paris hit a snag on July 30, as she was defeated by Croatia’s Donna Vekić in a hard-fought match. The scoreline of 7-6, 6-2 reflected a challenging battle, particularly marked by controversies over officiating.

 

What happened to Coco Gauff? 

During the second set, while the score was 3-2 in favor of Vekić, Gauff faced a pivotal break point. As she prepared to hit a backhand shot, a linesperson called Vekić’s return out. Gauff’s swing appeared to be disrupted by the call, leading her to miss the shot. Despite Gauff’s protests, the umpire overruled the linesperson’s call, awarding the point to Vekić. Gauff argued passionately with the umpire for about five minutes, citing past experiences with similar officiating issues, such as a controversial incident in her loss to Iga Świątek at the 2024 French Open.

 

Gauff’s Response

Although Gauff did not attribute her loss solely to the officiating, she expressed frustration and advocated for the introduction of video replay systems in professional tennis. Despite this setback, she remains a strong competitor, continuing her Olympic campaign in women’s doubles with partner Jessica Pegula and in mixed doubles with Taylor Fritz.

Gauff, ranked No. 2 in the world, is still actively involved in the Olympics, and her participation in the remaining events reflects her resilience and ongoing commitment to the sport.