Coco Gauff called for the implementation of video replays at Roland Garros after being eliminated from the Olympic Games singles tennis tournament on Tuesday. Her defeat came in a heated match against Croatia’s Donna Vekic, who won 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 to advance to the quarter-finals. The match saw world number two Gauff in a tearful dispute with chair umpire Jaume Campistol over a contentious line call during the sixth game of the second set.
Gauff had already lost a 5-2 lead in the first set and became upset when a ball from Vekic was initially called out but then corrected. Gauff hit the return into the net, and the umpire maintained that the call did not interfere with her shot. The point and break were awarded to Vekic, causing Gauff to plead her case in tears. She argued for the introduction of video replays to resolve controversial decisions, noting similar frustrations earlier in the year.
Roland Garros remains the only Grand Slam that does not use electronic aids, as officials believe they are unreliable on clay courts. Gauff, a runner-up at the French Open in 2022, expressed her frustration, stating that a video review system is necessary for fairness in tennis. She noted that while apologies from officials are common, they offer little consolation after a match is lost.
Gauff also had a similar argument with the chair umpire during her semi-final loss to Iga Swiatek at the French Open last month, again over a line call. She emphasized the need to advocate for herself, feeling she was being treated unfairly.
Vekic, who is the first Croatian woman to reach the Olympic singles quarter-finals since Iva Majoli in 1996, described the situation as “tricky” but supported the umpire’s decision, noting the late call. Despite losing concentration momentarily, Vekic managed to save three break points in the subsequent game and maintained her composure to win the match.
Vekic will compete against either Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine or Maria Sakkari of Greece for a spot in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Gauff, who missed the Tokyo Olympics due to Covid, still has opportunities for gold in the women’s and mixed doubles events in Paris.
