Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, was surprised to see chair umpire Aurelie Tourte possibly give World No. 1 Jannik Sinner preferential treatment during his unexpected second-round loss at the French Open on Thursday. In the match against Cerundolo, Sinner appeared visibly confused and fatigued while serving for the match in the third set.
The Italian took longer breaks between serves and was warned by the umpire. Aurelie Tourte then approached Sinner for a quick chat as the Italian played in intense heat. The umpire explained options to Sinner: take a time penalty or call a physio to check on his issue. Sinner mentioned dehydration, and Tourte suggested bringing the physio on court for a proper check before resuming play.
This brief exchange drew harsh criticism from fans, analysts, and most members of the tennis community. Many questioned why the chair umpire left her seat to speak with a player during a game, while others argued it was unfair to the other athlete competing under similar conditions.
The incident quickly went viral on social media, with the tennis community demanding that the organizers hold Tourte accountable for giving Sinner special treatment and reprimanding her for her actions.
Gilbert was among many broadcasters who participated in the discussion, sharing his confusion about the events on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Thursday. Responding to a fan about the situation and the possible penalty for Tourte, Gilbert wrote, “I don’t know the exact protocol, but it seemed highly unusual.”
While Gauff’s former coach enjoys his role as a prominent broadcaster with the Tennis Channel, currently covering Roland Garros, the defending champion has been on song so far in the first two rounds of the tournament.
Coco Gauff to Face Anastasia Potapova in R3 at Roland Garros
Gauff has maintained her focus and aimed to defend her French Open title successfully. She has been dealing with the heat and performing precisely. In the first round, she beat fellow American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0, then won against Mayar Sherif in the second round with scores of 6-3, 6-2. This sets up a challenging match against Potapova in the third round.
The Austrian has achieved impressive results on clay this season, with a 16-4 overall record. She is tied with the American at 2-2 in their head-to-head matches and leads 1-0 on clay, as tomorrow’s matchup will be their second encounter on this surface. It promises to be an intense battle between two players enjoying strong clay court performances this season, making a three-set match a strong possibility tomorrow.
Also read:
Victoria Mboko Gives Classy Response to Rumored Doubles Partnership With Serena Williams
Ben Shelton Exit Triggers 22-Year French Open Record as Men’s Top Seeds Collapse
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