US superstar brought to tears at Olympics. Was she wrong to criticize the Games?

The day before, the US national team flag bearer, tennis player Cori Gauff, expressed her dissatisfaction with living in the Olympic village. The athlete was outraged by the long queue for the bathroom. Cori even posted a video on her social media page where she criticized the living conditions.

“There are only two bathrooms for ten girls. And this is the Olympic village?” Cory wrote.

It is interesting that the girl chose the music of the Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky from the ballet Swan Lake as the musical accompaniment for the video.

Perhaps Cory would have continued to talk about the conditions in the Olympic village, but now she will have no time for that: Cory has finished her performance in singles. The American will have to focus on doubles and mixed matches.

The world’s second-ranked player was unable to cope with the 21st, Croatian Donna Vekic.

A disappointing defeat

In the third round match, Gauff confidently won against her opponent. In the first set, Cori was leading after seven games — 5:2. It seemed that here it was, set point, and then victory in the first set was just a stone’s throw away. But the Croatian did something unimaginable, winning three games in a row. And then Donna won in the tie-break — 9:7. The first set was for Vekic.

The second set was dictated by the Croatian. Moreover, in the sixth game, referee Jaume Campistol made a controversial decision in favor of Donna. This happened at 3:2, when the Croatian tennis player served out. Gauff, by inertia, hit the ball into the net, considering that the rally was over. Moreover, at that moment the lineman shouted “out” to Vekic’s shot.

Corey Gauff / Photo: © Daniel Kopatsch / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Imagine the American’s surprise when Campistol awarded the victory to her opponent! Gauff tried to appeal the referee’s controversial decision, but nothing helped. Referee Campistol dismissed all of the athlete’s objections.

“He yelled before I hit it, it affects the swing. I was moving to hit the ball and he yelled before I hit it,” Gauff said to the referee.

“I’m 100% sure… And now you’re telling me the opposite… I know I’m wrong, but I can’t change my decision after your complaint,” Campistol replied.

In the end, the game was won by Vekic – 4:2. Then Donna took two games, won the set – 6:2, and with it the set. Gauff left the court in tears.

— The referee called “out”, so I eased up on my swing and sent the ball into the net. It’s not even a millisecond. I could understand if it happened at the same time, but he called first. It’s not even a question of perception, it’s the rules. It’s unfair. It happened to me in Dubai, it happened to me here — and both times I was right.

I never argue with decisions and you know that, but it’s not fair. It feels like I’m constantly being cheated in this game and I have to argue,” the American tennis player said after the match.

Is the biased judging connected to Gauff’s criticism of the Games’ organizers? It is unknown. Perhaps now no one will publicly express their dissatisfaction.