AM LEAVING: Coco Gauff broke down in tears and announces to leave after the match due to….read more

Coco Gauff broke down in tears after a controversial call during her loss in the Olympics on Tuesday.

The world No. 2 and reigning U.S. Open champion ultimately fell to Donna Vekic of Croatia, 7-6(7), 6-2 in the third round of the Paris Olympics.

Gauff faced a break point serving at 2-3, 30-40 in the second set. Vekic hit a return deep to Gauff’s forehand, which the American mishit into the net. Vekic’s shot was called out by the line umpire, who then immediately corrected the original call, and the point was awarded to the Croatian. The umpire could have opted to have the players replay the point, but instead gave it to Vekic.

“I was going back to hit the ball and he called it out before I hit it,” Gauff told the umpire. “That’s why I went up on the ball.”

She added: “I never argue these calls but he called it out before I hit the ball….It always happens to me on this court,” Gauff said as she broke into tears.

Clare Wood, the tennis competition manager for the Olympics, was eventually called to the court.

“You have to understand, he called it out before I hit it,” Gauff explained. “What’s the rule? It’s not even a millisecond, he called it when I hit the ball. I understand if it was the same time but it was before. It’s not even a perception