Roland Garros – 1st round – Unusual sequence between the referee and Coco Gauff who disowns her father because of coaching

Parent-player (or player) relationships are often tumultuous on the ATP and WTA tours. Cori Gauff, 23rd player in the world, showed it once again when she entered the French international competition on Sunday. Opposed to the Canadian Rebecca Marino, 115th in the WTA rankings, the American, just of age, had a rather quiet match on the Simonne-Mathieu court this Sunday, with a victory obtained after 1h21 of play in two sets (7- 5, 6-0).

But as she rode royally to success in a one-sided second set, Gauff received a coaching warning from chair umpire Marijana Veljovic. She would have seen the player’s father make big signs to her between exchanges. Surprise, the American took advantage of the change of sides at 3-0 in her favor to explain it to the Serb.

“I’m shocked because after every game, I tell him: ‘Just clap, don’t tell me anything’“, says Coco Gauff, in a very polite exchange with the referee. Who replies: “When he makes a gesture with his hands, I can interpret that as coaching”. And Gauff to let go, smiling: “I can’t control what he does. Since I was 8 years old, I ask him not to talk to me during matches”. And the Atlanta native concludes: “I understand what you are telling me, but this is the first time a referee has said that to me”.

At a press conference, the player returned to the incident, still in a very calm and relaxed way: “In the end, she [l’arbitre] was just doing her job, and I am doing my job, as a player, which is to defend my integrity. So yeah, for me it was kind of funny, because I had so many conversations with my dad where I tell him that even when coaching is allowed, I ask him not to say anything.”.

The one who has just officially graduated from Florida Virtual High School probably had, once she went back to the locker room, to talk about it again with her parent who, perhaps, will have learned the lesson for his match of second round, Tuesday, against the Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck.