Coco Gauff Explains Umpire Dispute After Olympics Loss: 'These Points Are Big Deals'

Coco Gauff spoke about the controversial call that cost her a crucial point in her straight-set loss (7-6, 6-2) to Donna Vekic in the third round of the women's singles tennis tournament at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

"These points are big deals. Usually afterward, they apologize. So it's kind of frustrating. The 'sorry' doesn't help you once the match is over," Gauff said, per the Associated Press. "I can't say I would have won the match if I would have won that point."

In the second set, Gauff was serving down 3-2 (30-40) to Vekic. Gauff got her serve in, and Vekic returned a long one to the baseline. The linesperson initially ruled the ball out, and Gauff appeared to ease or check up after the call. She then hit the ball into the net.

However, the chair umpire then issued a correction, calling the ball in. She then awarded the point to Vekic, giving her the set, the break and a 4-2 lead. Vekic then won the next two games for the victory.

"There's been multiple times this year where that's happened to me -- where I felt like I always have to be an advocate for myself on the court," Gauff said.

"I felt that he called it before I hit, and I don't think the ref disagreed," Gauff added. "I think he just thought it didn't affect my swing, which I felt like it did."

Per Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic, Olympic matches are ruled by the International Tennis Federation, and they cited a section in which cases like these are covered.

"If a chair umpire or line umpire calls 'Out' and then corrects the call to good, what is the correct decision?" the rules read.

"Decision: The chair umpire must decide if the original 'Out' call was a hindrance to either player. If it was a hindrance, the point shall be replayed. If it was not a hindrance, the player who hit the ball wins the point."

So, in this case, the chair umpire apparently did not believe the out call was a hindrance to Gauff, who disagreed with the matter.

Ultimately, though, Vekic was the better player on this day, notably hitting 37 service winners go Gauff's 10. Gauff also had seven double faults to Vekic's three and zero aces to Vekic's five.

"I'm not going to sit here and say one point affected the result today," Gauff said, "because I was already on the losing side of things."

Despite the defeat, Gauff is still alive in Olympic competition in women's doubles (with Jessica Pegula) and mixed doubles (with Taylor Fritz).