FRENCH OPEN: ‘THAT IS AWFUL’ – TEARFUL COCO GAUFF TELLS UMPIRE ‘YOU’RE WRONG!’ IN SEMI-FINAL WITH IGA SWIATEK

It all came down to the timing of the initial ‘out’ call and when Gauff heard it. She certainly felt as though she only hit her return out after hearing the ruling, as she protested at the chair.

“He called it and then I hit it, I’m 1000% sure!” Gauff told Tourte.

“If he called it before I hit it, I saw my reaction – I didn’t even finish my follow-through! Are you serious?! He called it before I hit it.

picture

‘A super set’ – Swiatek wins opener against Gauff in semi-final showdown

‘A joke’ – Djokovic schedule ‘a black eye’ for tennis after injury, says McEnroe

Djokovic confirms successful knee surgery, aiming to be back ‘as soon as possible’

“Can you ask him? They are booing because you know you are wrong! They are booing because you are wrong. He called it before I hit the ball. I have the right to finish my swing.

“You are wrong, and it’s the second time it has happened. It is a Grand Slam semi-final, know the rules of the game.”

“Did she return it before the call or after the call, that is the big dilemma,” tennis legend Chris Evert, on commentary for Eurosport at the time, began.

“She is right, by the way. Coco Gauff is right, absolutely. She would never, ever tell a lie to the umpire.

“She is crying. That is awful, awful officiating, the umpire’s decision. She is saying that she had a play on it.”

picture

‘Not the start Gauff wanted’ – Swiatek gains early break in semi-final opening game

You can watch every day of the 2024 French Open live and on-demand on discovery