Coco Gauff caught in long slanging match with WTA umpire

Coco Gauff got caught up in a long slanging match with a bewildered tennis umpire in a moment that’s gone viral.

Everyone knows the frustration of having a ruling made against you when you are certain you are in the right.

It might happen in the schoolyard, with a parent or, heaven forbid, in a courtroom.

When it occurs in professional sport it can have far-reaching ramifications and that was the situation facing Coco Gauff in the WTA 1000 event in Dubai on Thursday (AEDT).

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World No. 3 Gauff had lost the first set in her round of 16 clash with Karolina Pliskova and was up 4-2 in the second when the moment occurred.

The American, who turns 20 next month, challenged a first serve that had been called out and won the challenge before the rules melee unfolded.

Chair umpire Pierre Bacchi ruled his incorrect out call had hindered Pliskova so ordered a replay of the point, but Gauff argued his out call came after the Czech star had hit the ball into the net.

What ensued was an awkward five-minute exchange that has been viewed almost 5 million times on one social post alone, with Gauff repeatedly challenging the rule and asking to see the tournament supervisor.

Coco Gauff showed her frustration during the exchange. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

“You called it out after she hit it,” Gauff said.

“Can you not cut me off for two seconds? Call the supervisor … you can’t deny me the supervisor. I’m going to ask her what the rule is.”

Bacchi’s audio isn’t clear but he is obviously stating his belief he had made the right call.

“You know you called it (out) way after,” Gauff continued.

“You’re going to apologise to me after this match because you know you stuffed up.

“Call the supervisor. Why can’t you call her?

“Everyone knows you called the ball out way after she hit it, it should be my point.”

Replays confirmed Gauff’s belief and thankfully in this situation, the error didn’t prove costly as the American ultimately reached the quarter-finals with a 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory.

The incident was the second controversy involving Bacchi this week, after Aussie Storm Hunter heard a “let” call in her first-round match and stopped playing, only to learn the call had come from an adjacent court.

Coco Gauff erupts after winning the match and (right) her encounter with the umpire. Photos: Getty Images

After the match, the reigning US Open champion said she was able to raise her level after that long stoppage.

“It definitely gave me some adrenaline,” she said. “Luckily I was able to overcome that pretty quickly. I’m glad I was able to reset.

“I think it just fuelled me. I want to watch back the video. It’s just one point. It happens in tennis. Players make mistakes, everybody makes mistakes.

“It kind of went upward from there for me. I was trying to tell myself to stay calm the next point.

“Sometimes I get angry and I go for too much. I was trying to let that not be the turning point for the set.

“Maybe I dragged it out a little longer than I needed to, but I did what I felt was best in that moment.”

In the words of Johnny Mac, that umpire’s a ‘jerk’…😄

— DB (@dbdegn) February 21, 2024

There was a strong reaction to the moment on social media, with many comments directed at the umpire.

“Apologise? He should be fired immediately,” was one comment.

“Why is he not calling the supervisor? Guess who is getting a demotion from the establishment after this match,” wrote another.

“This was so embarrassing for the umpire,” wrote a third.

“Such a disgrace of an umpire. Shouldn’t be officiating if he didn’t know the rules … hope he’s sanctioned. Glad Coco eventually won,” added another.

Gauff, the only athlete named this week on Time Magazine’s Women of the Year list, faces Anna Kalinskaya in the final eight.

Originally published as Coco Gauff caught in long slanging match with WTA umpire