Tearful Gauff dumped out of Olympics after on-court row as Nadal returns

Tearful Coco Gauff crashed out of the Paris Olympics at the hands of Donna Vekic on Tuesday as Rafael Nadal prepared to return to the baking Roland Garros courts.

As temperatures rocketed in the French capital, officials activated a heat protocol, allowing a 10-minute break between the second and third sets.

In the first match on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Vekic shocked Gauff 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals but the match was overshadowed by a lengthy row between the US Open champion and the chair umpire.

Gauff, the flag-bearer for the United States at the Olympic opening ceremony alongside LeBron James, made a fast start but squandered three set points before her Croatian opponent won the first-set tie-break.

The pair swapped breaks early in the second set but the match came to a standstill at the end of the sixth game as an emotional Gauff pleaded her case with the chair umpire.

At 30-40, Vekic hit a return deep to Gauff’s forehand, which the American mishit into the net.

Vekic’s shot was called out but the call was overruled by the chair umpire and the point was awarded to the Croat, giving her the break. Gauff argued her shot was compromised by the initial call.

“I have to advocate for myself all the time,” said a weeping Gauff, 20. “I’m getting cheated in this game. You guys are not fair to me.”

Vekic, ranked 21, briefly lost her composure, slipping to 0-40 on her own serve before recovering to hold, and she broke again to seal victory.

“It took me some time to adjust to the conditions because when we warmed up the roof was closed so it was completely different when we came out there,” she said.

“The ball was flying a little bit more so it took me a couple of games but after that I think I played pretty well and it was a really tough match.”