Gauff says she overcame questionable call in loss to Swiatek, but still calls for video review

Coco Gauff had a minor emotional letdown during her loss to Iga Swiatek in the Roland-Garros semi-finals on Thursday. It didn’t affect the outcome, but Gauff still wasn’t too pleased.

Coco Gauff – Action Plus / Panoramic

Ricky Dimon

June 6, 2024

Coco Gauff lost to Iga Swiatek for the third time in the last three Roland-Garros editions, this time 6-2, 6-4 in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Although a questionable umpire’s decision certainly wasn’t a factor in the match — Swiatek was the better play from start to finish — it certainly did not help Gauff’s chances.

In the fourth game of the second set Swiatek hit a serve that was called long just as Gauff hit a backhand return wide. Chair umpire Aurelie Tourte overruled the call, saying the serve was in. Tourte also immediately awarded the point to Swiatek as opposed to having it replayed. Despite the American saying she was “1,000 percent sure” the linesperson’s call interfered with her return, Tourte insisted that it had no impact.

They’re showing it on TV, so I don’t get why the player can’t see it.
Coco Gauff

The decision and ensuing argument left Gauff in tears, but she actually managed to break Swiatek’s serve in that game for a brief 3-1 advantage in the second set.

Even though the call had no impact on the outcome, the world No 3 still wasn’t happy. In fact, in her post-match press conference she joined the chorus of voices of the tennis world calling for the use of video review.

“One hundred percent,” Gauff responded when asked if incidents like that one should be reviewed. “I think tennis is the only sport where not only we don’t have the VR system, but a lot of times the decisions are made by one person. In other sports there’s usually multiple refs in making a decision. I know the US Open brought some of it last year, I believe. I know we used it in our doubles at one point.

Yeah, I definitely think at this point it’s almost ridiculous that we don’t have it. Not also just speaking because that happened to me, but I just think every sport has it. Also, there are so many decisions that are made, and it sucks as a player to go back or online and you see that you were completely right. It’s, like, ‘what does that give you in that moment?’

“Also, in situations you can call for the supervisor but there’s not much they can do from that standpoint. I definitely think as a sport we have to evolve, and we have the technology. They’re showing it on TV, so I don’t get why the player can’t see it.”

If the call had been reviewed and changed, it obviously would have preempted Gauff’s emotional woes. The 20-year-old 20-year-old also spoke about her tears.

“I think it was just overwhelming of everything,” she explained. “Obviously I’m losing the match. When you’re playing against her…every point matters against anybody, but especially against her. I think it was just one of those moments, but I overcame it. I obviously won that game.

“So I usually don’t get too frustrated with decisions like that, but I think it was just a combination of everything going on in the moment.”