The blockbuster day of Olympic tennis has already thrown up some controversy. Team USA flag bearer Coco Gauff broke down in tears before being knocked out of the third round by Croatia’s Donna Vekić. Vekić, most recently a semi-finalist at Wimbledon, came back from 5-2 and a set point down to steal the first set on a tiebreak, nine points to seven. The second set also went her way, six games to two.
It was during the second set that Gauff complained about a line call while break point down. Vekić’s shot was originally called out before the umpire said it landed in. Because Gauff had hit her shot into the net, she ended up losing the point and the game. Gauff expressed her frustration to the umpire, saying:
“This isn’t fair. You called it out before I hit the ball. You have to be 100% sure. It always happens to me on this court. I always have to advocate for myself. This is the fourth or fifth time this year. This isn’t fair. I feel like I’m getting cheated constantly in this game. I constantly feel like that, and I have to argue, and then you guys apologize afterwards saying ‘I’m sorry,’ but what does that do for me in the match? Okay, it’s not intentional, but it happens to me. It happened to Serena Williams. You guys are not fair to me, and I hope one day the game becomes fair, but it’s not.”