Coco Gauff explodes at Roland Garros, demands the use of VAR: ‘Tennis needs to evolve’

The American player blasted umpire over controversial call against Poland’s Iga Swiatek.

Coco Gauff didn’t hold back her frustration after a controversial call in the French Open semi-finals, calling the lack of video assistant referee (VAR) technology in tennis “ridiculous.”

The US Open champion was reduced to tears following a questionable decision by French chair umpire Aurélie Tourte during her 6-4, 6-2 loss to world No.1 Iga Swiatek. The defeat marked Gauff’s 11th loss to Swiatek, further adding to her frustration.

Gauff advocates for the VAR
Gauff passionately advocated for the introduction of a replay appeal system in tennis, agreeing “100%” with the notion that the sport needs to modernize its officiating.

“I think tennis is the only sport where not only we don’t have the VR system, but a lot of times the decisions are made by one person,” she said. “In other sports, there’s usually multiple refs making a decision. 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 only just speaking because that happened to me, but I just think every sport has it. Also, 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, and it’s, like, what does that give you in that moment?”