A controversial episode has attracted the spotlight in Dubai Duty Free, focusing the light on Coco Gauff, who threatened to no longer continue her match in the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 in Dubai.
An episode that generated a lot of controversy and discussion, which happened during the battle between the young American tennis player and the former WTA No.1 Karolina Pliskova. Coco was stopped for almost 5 minutes to contest a questionable decision by chair umpire Pierre Bacchi.
The American’s serve was called out by the umpire, after the Czech’s return to the net. Hawk-Eye turned things around and highlighted how Coco’s serve was good. At that point the 19-year-old began to protest and move closer to the center of the court demanding her point, while the umpire was not of the same opinion as her and asked her to repeat the serve.
Coco Gauff is not happy with the umpire in her match against Pliskova.
“You called it out after she hit it.”
“Can you not cut me off for two seconds?”
“Call the supervisor… you can’t deny me the supervisor. I’m gonna ask her what the rule is.”
Coco hit a serve that was… pic.twitter.com/QyfBN1q6D6
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 21, 2024
“You can’t interrupt me every two seconds, let me talk”
Thus began a very harsh and long dialogue between the two, with the American trying in every way to assert her reasons.
“You called her out after she hit. You can’t interrupt me every two seconds, let me talk,” Coco said.
Coco Gauff© Christopher Pike / Stringer Getty Images Sport
Then Gauff asked the chair umpire for help from the supervisor: “You can’t deny me, I want to ask her about the rules. It’s my right, I won’t start playing again until you call her,” continued the American, while Pliskova listened to the thing by sitting on the sidelines.
Coco gave up at a certain point, returning to play although angry at not having gotten the point she deserved.
Resilient Coco ✊@CocoGauff ends Pliskova’s 11-match winning streak, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3!#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/2dvEd0qGJL
— wta (@WTA) February 21, 2024
During the on-court interview after beating Pliskova, Coco explained what happened: “I think it just fueled me. I wanna watch back the video. I feel confident that it was after. It’s ok. It’s just one point. It happens in tennis. Players make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. It kind of went upward from there for me.”
Coco Gauff on the disagreement with the umpire in Pliskova match:
“I think it just fueled me. I wanna watch back the video. I feel confident that it was after. It’s ok. It’s just one point. It happens in tennis. Players make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes… It kind of went… pic.twitter.com/nPHncWdPj1
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 21, 2024
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