American tennis star Coco Gauff was in tears after after she launched a fiery spray at an umpire over a controversial call in her French Open semi-final loss to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
ESPN’s SportsCenter has come under fire for confusing US Open winner Coco Gauff’s pause for prayer as her moment to “soak it all in” after winning her first Grand Slam title.
The 19-year-old paused her title celebrations for a prayer, saying it was a “thank you” after all the “tough times”.
Sky News host Rita Panahi questioned whether ESPN’s SportsCenter Twitter account was “afraid” to reference the US Open winner’s prayer.
“I may be an atheist but even I can tell that lady was praying and possibly giving thanks for this wonderful win,” Ms Panahi said.
The US Open star defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final, becoming the first American teen to claim the title since Serena Williams in 1999.
Gauff was on Friday defeated by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek with the Polish superstar stealing the victory from the American in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.
But it wasn’t without an edge-of-your-seat fiery eruption from Gauff, 20, as she unleashed on umpire Aurélie Tourte over a game-changing call early in the second set.
Guaff was on Friday defeated in the French Open semi-final by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Gauff had moved 2-1 ahead on serve when Tourte overruled an out call on a Swiatek serve and awarded the point to the 23-year-old Polish great.
The American missed the return, but debated with the umpire whether Swiatek should have been made to replay her serve because the American’s return had been impacted by the line call.
According to The Tennis Letter on Friday, Gauff in the exchange said to the umpire: “I didn’t even finish my follow through. He called it before I hit it. Can you ask him?”
“We cannot ask him,” a defiant Tourte responded.
The crowd then began to boo, with Gauff stating: “They’re booing because you’re wrong… I have the right to finish my swing”.
The umpire replied: “To me it didn’t affect the shot.”
“This is the 2nd time this has happened,” the American said.
“It’s a Grand Slam semi-final. Know the rules of the game.”
Gauff is seen during the match questioning the umpire
Gauff missed the return, but debated with the umpire Swiatek should have been made to replay her serve because the American’s return had been impacted by the line call. Picture: Stan, Channel 9
Gauff, frustratingly conquered, teared up as moved back to the baseline but she was unable to regain traction and stop Swiatek from a lead in the set.
Swiatek remained tight-lipped and composed throughout Gauff’s heated exchange with the tennis official, a decision some tennis fans lambasted.
“Anyone else thinking that Iga as the world No1 should have gotten involved?” one enthusiast wrote on X.
A second person noted it was such a “shame” Iga did not offer to “replay the point”.
“She won’t because it benefits her,” a third responded.
Other people, however, disagreed with Gauff and one tennis enthusiast said: “Fans usually boo the player for complaining, not the umpire for the call”.
“In this situation with the serve speed and her location, there is no umpire who could call it out before she hits it, her follow thru is irrelevant,” they said.
No. 3 rank and reigning US Open champion Gauff’s defeat was her third loss to the Polish world No. 1 at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament, including in the 2022 final and last year’s quarter-finals.
Iga Swiatek will face No. 12 seed Jasmine Paolini in the final. Picture: Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Speaking to Eurosport after the match, Gauff, who made 39 unforced errors on Friday, answered questions thrown at her by journalists about the “frustrations” racing through her mind during the memorable on-court row.
“I think it was just a overwhelming of everything,” she said.
“Obviously, I’m losing the match and then, you know, when I’m playing against her, every point matters against everybody but especially against her, so I think it was just one of those moments.
“But I overcame it, I obviously won that game, so 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 has now walked away with 20 consecutive wins on the Paris clay, as she chases her third consecutive crown at the slam.
The Polish sensation will face No. 12 seed Jasmine Paolini in the final after the Italian put a stop to the run of 17-year-old Russian star Mirra Andreeva in a 6-3, 6-1 nail-biter, to make her first Grand Slam final at the age of 28.
Paolini will gear up for the win after Swiatek has put away everyone in her path to victory, having survived a huge scare against Naomi Osaka in the second round.
She has dropped just one set in the entire tournament.