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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship marks an exciting period for fans, especially with American star Coco Gauff taking to the court once again. With her match against Karolina Pliskova underway, Gauff found herself in a tense standoff with the umpire. This came after a disagreement over a line call during the match.

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In the disagreement over a line call made after Pliskova returned Gauff’s serve, the American demanded to see the supervisor, while repeatedly being interrupted by the umpire. “Call the supervisor. You can’t deny me the supervisor. I’m gonna ask her what the rule is,” Gauff told the umpire.

The disagreement escalated after the umpire asked her to make the first serve again, effectively making her ace go down the drain. Coco Gauff eventually defeated Pliskova and expressed her frustration after doing so.

Coco Gauff channels frustration towards beating Pliskova

After a lengthy and heated discussion, the play resumed, and Gauff looked unstoppable. Coming from a set down, Coco Gauff comfortably took the second set and followed it up with the third and final set, leaving her in the driving seat for the match.

It seems her disagreement with the umpire provided her with just the right amount of fuel she needed to add to her fire. More importantly, the intensity of her play was what fans wanted to see. Following her surprise exit at WTA Doha 2024, watching Gauff come back and win has fans on cloud nine. Considering the call made against her early in the match, fans rallied alongside her on social media.

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With this win, Coco Gauff moves on to her next challenge in the quarterfinals. She will play this bout against Anna Kalinskaya, and Gauff may have a challenge on her hands. After coming through as a qualifier, Kalinskaya has enjoyed a string of victories at the tournament. Her latest win against Jelena Ostapenko makes her a force to be reckoned with. 

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As for Coco Gauff’s fans, they hope to see more tournament wins for the American sensation. Additionally, her inclusion in TIME’s Women of the Year list has fans elated, an honor that makes her current victory sweeter.

WATCH THIS STORY: Following Dispiriting Memory, Coco Gauff Finally Gets Fangirl Moment with the American Nightingale in the City of Romance