"Worst f**king call" - Serena Williams' ex-coach says Coco Gauff should have refused to play until supervisor was called in Dubai dispute with umpire
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs has said that Coco Gauff should have refused to play further until chair umpire Pierre Bacchi called the supervisor to resolve the dispute during her third-round match at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships.
Gauff secured her spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Karolina Pliskova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. However, the match was marred by an argument during the second set. Gauff was serving to go up 5-2 when a controversial call by the chair umpire in favor of Pliskova led to the argument.
Bacchi ruled Gauff's serve at deuce "out," with Pliskova returning it into the net. The World No. 3 challenged the call, which showed the ball "in," but the umpire did not change his decision. This prompted Gauff to request the umpire's supervisor to discuss the rules, but it was denied by Bacchi.
In light of the controversy, during the recent episode of the 'Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast,' Stubbs asserted Pierre Bacchi was obligated to contact the tour supervisor when Coco Gauff requested to speak with one.
Stubbs said the 19-year-old should have walked off the court and refused to play after Bacchi failed to comply with Gauff's request.
"For an actual fact, if you ask for the tour supervisor, he has to call the tour supervisor, of which I’m fairly certain. The mistake Coco [Gauff] made was continuing to talk. She should have walked down," Stubbs said (at 28:40).
Stubbs added that Bacchi was wrong to not contact the supervisor.
"Where he was incorrect was not tending the supervisor out just to appease her because she was doing that just to make a point. Yeah, ‘cause Coco knew she was never going to win that point. Coco knew that what had happened was too late, and the judgement call was the umpire’s," Stubbs said.
The 52-year-old further said that Coco Gauff knew she couldn't alter the judgment call, but she called for the supervisor to assert that she was correct. Stubbs also deemed Bacchi's decision as the "worst."
"She [Coco Gauff] was trying to make a point, and I don’t blame her, but the mistake she made was going on; she should have sat down and said, ‘I’m not playing until you call supervisor.’ Then he would have to call the supervisor right ‘cause just to appease her, but what he did in his tone and the way he spoke, he should have known better that he said for a fact “out” after the ball was basically in the net. That was the worst f*cking call I’ve seen in a long time," she added.
"I just don’t understand why he decided to overrule in the first place. Like, shut the f*ck up,” Stubbs said. “It was just horrible, and not calling the supervisor out was on him, and you know what? It really changed things because she played really well after that, so I think it gave her an incentive. Frankly, that was b*llsh*t what happened with that umpire, and I hope he gets a big time scolding for that," Stubbs concluded.
Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert: "The umpire denied this request was ridiculous oversight"
Following the controversy, Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert expressed his disappointment in chair umpire Pierre Bacchi for failing to call the supervisor.
A fan took to social media to praise Gauff for standing her ground and making it clear to the umpire that she was in the right.
"Good for her for standing up for herself, even in vain. Pierre Bacchi is ... not having a great week," the fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Replying to the fan, Gilbert emphasized the importance of mandatory electronic line calling in WTA 1000 tournaments. He also suggested that Bacchi should not officiate the remainder of the tournament due to the judgment in question.
"At a 1000’s should be absolutely mandatory to have electronic line calling, and this umpire should not work rest of tournament in my humble opinion," Gilbert wrote.
Gilbert added that Bacchi's failure to call and allow Coco Gauff to speak with his supervisor was unacceptable, and called it a "ridiculous oversight" on the umpire's part.
"Unfortunately the umpire denied this request was ridiculous oversight," Gilbert posted.