Coco Gauff arrived in Paris 2024 as one of the icons of the USA team, was chosen as flagbearer alongside LeBron James in the Opening Ceremony, and started hitting the headlines as she became the youngest American woman to win a singles tennis match in the Olympics since Venus Williams.
In the first two games, won in straight sets, she barely conceded five games: three against Ajla Tomjlanovic (6-3, 6-0) and two against Maria Lourdes Carle (6-1, 6-1). So where, exactly, did it all go wrong for one of the potential Olympic stars?
It could be said that a wrong call by the umpire made her lose balance, but can a wrong call, one single point, make her collapse like a house of cards?
VEKIC’S COMEBACK
It happened against a formidable and resilient Donna Vekic. The Croatian did not feel the pressure while Gauff’s astounding record was adding a 4-1 and 5-2 in the first set.
She came back, levelled 5-5 and 6-6, and ended up winning the tie-break 9-7, despite Gauff previously having two sets points. The last shot, out, already shown a stressed Gauff, who had let go a set that seemed won.
KEY MOMENT
But the key moment was in the second set, when a ball was called out immediately before Gauff was about to hit it. Without video review, the umpire ruled out the judge call and, since Gauff’s swing had not crossed the net, the point was given to Vekic.
Gauff couldn’t believe it. She claimed she didn’t hit the ball well because she heard the out call before. The umpire admitted she might be right, but that his decision was taken. Then Gauff said “why does it always happen to me? On this court? I have to advocate for myself every time”.
TEARS
The protest lasted more than a game. It took almost five minutes of arguments, with Gauff visibly emotional, and the match supervisor going down to the court.
“I never argue these calls but this is not fair! I feel like I’m being cheated,” she kept saying, in tears.
The spectators were clearly supporting Gauff. But the decision stood, Gauff lost that game (break, 2-4) and she couldn’t recover.
The game suddenly had a different atmosphere. Vekic was jeered and she, too, felt affected.
“It’s not my fault!,” she said to the public. She also needed some minutes to be back in her game and finish with a deserved 6-2.
TIK-TOK PROTEST
A day after the Opening Ceremony, Gauff complained on Tik-Tok about the living conditions of the Olympic Villa, as her post “10 girls, 2 bathrooms” went viral.
“All the tennis girls have now moved out, so there are 5 girls, 2 bathrooms now,” she then added.
While she still has chances in the doubles and the mixed doubles, the real dream was shattered too soon.
Gauff, a majestic champion, is still young and might have to learn to deal better with uphill conditions, even if some of them are unfair.
She clearly had bad memories of Paris (very fresh memories) haunting her after what happened in Roland Garros one month ago.
But in the mixed-zone, after cooling off, at least she admitted that even if that point was replayed, that wouldn’t have meant that she’d won the game. It’s a good restart after the storm.
Credit: AIPS Media
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