Gauff says lack of video replays in tennis 'ridiculous'
Coco Gauff called for video replays to be used for contentious decisions in tennis after having a heated exchange with the chair umpire during her French Open semifinal loss to Iga Swiatek on Thursday.
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In the fourth game of the second set of Gauff's 6-2, 6-4 defeat, the umpire overruled a call of 'out' for a Swiatek serve, before awarding the world No 1 the point.
Gauff protested that the original call from the line judge came before she had completed her attempted return which went wide.
"They're booing because you're wrong," Gauff told the umpire as the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd jeered.
"This is the second time this has happened. It's a Grand Slam semifinal. Know the rules of the game."
Coco Gauff is not happy with a decision from the umpire in her match against Swiatek
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 6, 2024
Iga hit a serve that was called out but the umpire overruled it.
Coco missed the return. Coco says she hit the ball after the line call was made.
The umpire disagrees.
The crowd boos.… pic.twitter.com/OzbIANQS7d
Gauff went on to break Swiatek's serve in that game anyway, but later told reporters that changes should be made so that such decisions were not made by one person without the use of any technology.
Painting lines 🎨#RolandGarros | @iga_swiatek pic.twitter.com/gxi6FupWD0
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2024
"In other sports there's usually multiple refs in making a decision," the US Open champion said.
"I know the US Open brought some of it last year, I believe. I know we used it in our doubles at one point.
"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... 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...
"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."
"It was a culmination of everything going in the moment..."
— Eurosport (@eurosport) June 6, 2024
Coco Gauff speaks on the dispute with the umpire that left her in tears in her semi-final match against Iga Swiatek. 🗣️#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/MJrqXADBe8
That service break gave Gauff a 3-1 lead in the second set, but it was one-way traffic from there as Swiatek powered into her fourth Roland Garros final and an 11th win in 12 matches against the American.
"It was just one of those moments, but I overcame it. I obviously won that game," added the 20-year-old Gauff, who will become world No 2 next week.
"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."
Swiatek, who is one win away from a third straight Roland Garros title, admitted having replays would be "easier".
"I think it would be easier to have the replay, but... I don't know how it would look like logistically," she said. "When can you ask an umpire to call a video replay or when it's up to her to do that."
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