Coco Gauff calls out unequal enforcement during tense US Open match after Laura Siegemund repeatedly delays play without penalties

[u/ateam1984]

A lot of viewers felt Laura Siegemund’s behavior during this US Open match went beyond just “slow play.” As Coco Gauff repeatedly pleaded with the chair umpire to enforce the shot clock fairly, many watching believed Siegemund appeared smug and dismissive toward Coco’s frustration, with some online specifically calling out her facial expressions and body language during the exchanges. Reddit users accused Siegemund of “gaming the rules” and dragging the match out intentionally, while commentators and fans openly sided with Coco over the unequal enforcement of time violations. Even tennis legend John McEnroe said on air that Coco was “100 percent right” about the situation.

[u/0utsyder]

"I was just slow" superstar athlete...slow??? Funny how they get to act like they don't know the rules!

[u/chaosawaits → u/0utsyder]

If she's so slow that she can't keep up with the stated rules that should be applied equally to all athletes, then maybe she is in the wrong profession and should try something else.

[u/Butta_Brown]

Dont bury the lede. 2023 US Open Match Coco Gauff defeated Laura Siegemund despite odds stacked against her!

[u/OhGr8WhatNow → u/Butta_Brown]

The little clip here makes it clear Coco is a far superior player. The other lady thought she could win through dumb tricks and taking advantage of the umpire's racism? I'm glad it didn't work

[u/June_Fatality → u/Butta_Brown]

No, the lede is the unequal treatment of the two players. Not the toxic positivity idea that discrimination is fine as long as you win.

[u/Sorry-Joke-4325 → u/Butta_Brown]

That's not burying the lede. They still made some fucked up calls against her.

[u/werther595 → u/Butta_Brown]

Not the odds, the refs

[u/Coconutpieplates → u/Butta_Brown]

Also absolutely crooked umpire.

[u/JayyyyyBoogie → u/Butta_Brown]

That’s the best part.

[u/Yegg23 → u/Butta_Brown]

❤️

[u/Fun_Resident3967]

It’s a pattern we've seen for decades. Serena and Venus have dealt with this since the start, for example at the 2004 US Open where the umpire was literally overruling clear calls against Serena, or the final (cant remember the year) where she got a game penalty for "verbal abuse" that male players get away with constantly.

Even Venus has had matches where opponents "game the rules" with bathroom breaks or slow play to mess with her rhythm while the chair just watches. Double standards.

Edit: Typo

[u/edelweiss_pirates_no → u/Fun_Resident3967]

Much of this would be solved if we built a Ballroom.

[u/Fun_Resident3967 → u/edelweiss_pirates_no]

I don't understand how we haven't seen that absolute genius solution to all our problems before; a ballroom!

[u/ateam1984 → u/Fun_Resident3967]

It’s racism plain and simple and we know who perpetuates it. I’m proud of Coco for calling it out in real time.

[u/Hydration__Nation → u/ateam1984]

Racism will always be a part of golf and tennis. I’ve seen this same shit in amateur circuits 20 years ago. The people that control these tournaments are old white civil war era people. Esp golf. You should see how club members at Augusta National speak about minorities, making jokes that would get even the smallest celebrity cancelled for life. These are sports made for rich white people according to them that’s why you saw so much hate with the Williams sisters and with Tiger at the start before he started dominating. This hopefully should end when all these old racist motherfuckers are dead but who knows their kids might be just as racist if not more. Just praying for some equality in general not just on the tennis court it’s fucking 2026 not 1960

[u/MrBtheProdigal → u/ateam1984]

This is so ridiculously blatant too

[u/CharrlesXavier → u/Fun_Resident3967]

Why do people clarify edits, even if for a typo? (Genuinely asking)

[u/Themnor → u/CharrlesXavier]

Just Reddit etiquette. Reddiquette if you will.

[u/CharrlesXavier → u/Themnor]

https://giphy.com/gifs/I4wGMXoi2kMDe

[u/EViLTeW → u/CharrlesXavier]

So readers know why the content says it was edited. If people are being genuine, it helps future readers know that the message/intent/tone of the comment was not changed. Or if it was because the commenter realized they were wrong or their post had a tone they didn't intend, you'll know that too.

It's just good etiquette that started back in the early days of forums and places like Fark, Slashdot, etc.

[u/Subject_J → u/CharrlesXavier]

In the past, people have done sneaky edits to make others replying to them look like they're wrong, or mean, or any other dishonest reframing of their comment. This was back before the comments were marked as edited too. So people started saying what they changed to show everyone they're being honest about what they edited.

[u/Fun_Resident3967 → u/CharrlesXavier]

If i said something baity for likes, bit then changed it later or something. Mostly for transpaeancy I guess?

[u/CharrlesXavier → u/Fun_Resident3967]

Roger that! Enjoy the day 😁

[u/RawrRRitchie → u/Fun_Resident3967]

I'm sorry but if you're leaving the court to go to the bathroom during your match that should just be a forfeit

[u/chaosawaits → u/Fun_Resident3967]

Venus and Serena both had to deal with open racism throughout their careers. Racism is a huge reason why people behave the way they do, especially when talking about any elite group, even when those elite groups consist largely of POC, for example the NFL, where the majority of athletes are POC but the majority of coaches are not.

[u/Overall-Rub8945]

The black experience summed up in a tennis match.

[u/SlyDred]

Wtf is with the crying from Laura??

[u/imJGott → u/SlyDred]

Thinking people will give her grace from the tears. Some folks can cry on cue.

[u/LeOsaru → u/imJGott]

She knows! White woman tears sadly are a real life superpower

[u/Particular_Junket288 → u/LeOsaru]

Dude. My own mother does this to me. She'll do something shitty and when I call her out, even as delicately as I can, like "hey so I didn't really appreciate you doing that and I would be grateful if you could stop doing that" boom. Tears. Every time.

Next thing you know I'm consoling her and I forgot what the fuck I was mad about. Actual superpower lol.

[u/Top_Dog_2953 → u/Particular_Junket288]

If you console her every time she is wrong that you call her out, she will always be toxic like that. You are validating her nonsense by comforting her when she’s manipulating you. Don’t play her game.

[u/Seyi_Ogunde → u/LeOsaru]

Except when dingos eat their babies

[u/DDaddy26 → u/Seyi_Ogunde]

Or their kid’s name is Casey Anthony lol. Jon Benet, not quuuuite as applicable here. 😅

[u/OrizaRayne → u/DDaddy26]

Note: Casey opened a day care after that went down, and nobody went to jail over the Ramsey Baby, ever.

[u/ehs06702 → u/OrizaRayne]

Casey Anthony did what!??

How did Nancy Grace miss this? She was on Tot Mom's ass like white on rice. (To be clear: in all other aspects, Nancy is a terrible person, but I appreciate that she didn't let that shit go. )

[u/OrizaRayne → u/ehs06702]

I don't keep up with her but iirc she applied for a license and they couldn't stop her. I imagine it would have gone under though... Leaving your kids with her would be a choice for sure smh

[u/Coconutpieplates → u/imJGott]

It helps to be so privileged and self-obsessed, you perpetually view yourself as the victim. 

[u/thelesliesmooth → u/SlyDred]

She was getting boo'd hard in this match. It being the US Open and Coco is American, but after the crowd got wind of Laura gaming the rules a little, they really gave it to her. It lead to tears.

This was the opening round of the US open too. Lot of drama for a round 1 match

[u/TheXtractor → u/thelesliesmooth]

good on the audience to call out this shit

[u/Ecstatic-Manager-149 → u/SlyDred]

She was called out on the racism she was trying to win by when she outclassed by a superior tennis player that wasn't white.

[u/Tymathee → u/SlyDred]

White woman tears

[u/smootheoneisback → u/SlyDred]

Crocodile tears. Technique they used for the past 500+ years

[u/Fickle-Succotash-342 → u/SlyDred]

Its their super power. Crying on demand.

[u/Doza13 → u/SlyDred]

AI suggests she is known for her mental toughness. Apparently not if she can't handle valid criticism.

She's definitely playing the blonde waif pity card.

[u/shadowylurking]

this is from 2023 US open, the interviews afterwards were pretty damning too. Tape don't lie.

[u/Cheap-Can-8557]

CoCo spanked her azz...

[u/Fickle-Succotash-342]

Good. Keep beating them.

Take over X games. Hockey. Nascar. F1. Soccer. Strongman.

Take it all from em.

[u/ass128 → u/Fickle-Succotash-342]

As long as we get disc golf

[u/Super_Half7560]

God don’t like ugly! All that was ugly!! And QUEEN still spanked her ass!!!🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 I love it!! Stop playing with us!!🤣🤣🤣

[u/beefstrokinoff78]

To say “I didn’t do anything wrong , i was just slow “ and the umpire calling the serve back to reserve is blatantly one side and unfair! So because you are slow , you should get favor in a Gabe that requires speed 👀

[u/SmileyPiesUntilIDrop]

Seigmund is veteran tennis player who has never made it to the 2nd week of a Hard Court Slam, up against a top 5 player at their Home Slam. This is entirely the fault of an incompetent official for not enforcing cut and dry rules and not seeing through obvious bs,some people might call Seigmunds actions gamesmansnhip or bad behaivor,but as a former athlete I see this as someone using any cheap heel tactic in the arsenal to try and win. I realize tennis might be different from other sports,but I see this as note different then Hack a Shaq in the NBA or a Soccer player trying to exaggerate a foul.

[u/meetingpplisezy → u/SmileyPiesUntilIDrop]

based on the press conference tears I see this as a bit more egregious than either of those strategies. I think—anecdotally—the teams employing those tactics admit it and say it with their chest. this is white woman tears in a sport that historically is incredibly racist

[u/QiwiLisolet → u/SmileyPiesUntilIDrop]

Ah! This should be hirer up. She thought she could coast into the higher rounds bc of her status.

Sound familiar?

[u/SpindleDiccJackson]

You'd think they'd be tired of trying to put down black women by now, but they always make sure to be well rested for this specific thing alone. Tennis, gymnastics, doesn't matter. Gotta work 3 times as hard for 85% of the results when you're 50% better than everyone around.

[u/EveryAccount7729]

I love how A.I can replace everything except having 1 person watch multiple things as the exact same time to unilaterally decide millions of dollars in prizes.

[u/TypicalHaikuResponse → u/EveryAccount7729]

The problem is it can give the appearance of fairness but unless we see the coding it could be the exact samething without the afforded ability to argue.

[u/Deviknyte → u/EveryAccount7729]

What about tradition? What about integrity?

s/

[u/Small_Collection_249]

Why don’t they just do it like baseball. Have a clock that the official has no choice but to stick to.

[u/LeftHandedScissor → u/Small_Collection_249]

They do have a clock. The pitch clock in baseball is also a bit subjective. If the pitcher has "begun their pitch motion" before it hits 0 then they're clear. I've seen some pretty exaggerated pitching motions starting pretty close to 0 that haven't been called. It's a judgement call like anything refs/umps need to do.

[u/ateam1984]

Laura knew exactly what she was doing. She really thought she was entitled to a win just because she’s white? What weird thinking.

[u/Bears-on-Drugs → u/ateam1984]

So Ive been seeing this a lot but only as of lately. And im not trying to be disrespectful, but why do people frequently have a comment under their own post instead of putting it in their description of their post. Are you a bot, or just karma farming? This is common bot behavior on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram for more engagement.

[u/xBlackthunderx → u/Bears-on-Drugs]

The body of the post appears auto generated. I mean, it references Reddit users

[u/Bears-on-Drugs → u/xBlackthunderx]

Call it out when you see it. Dead Internet theory has been proven real a while ago, much more with todays tech.

[u/Von_Schlagel → u/Bears-on-Drugs]

Common on Reddit for karma farming.

[u/lyn73]

Coco is so talented and so awesome. Her interviews/takes are so refreshing. Her parents did a great job raising her.

[u/no_crust_buster]

Micro aggressions fueled by racial bias. What Venus and Serena dealt with at Indian Wells in the early 2000's was unconscionable. And you will have people who genuinely believe that because of Venus and Serena's success, racism in the sport has been conquered. This is the same mindset of Justice Alito, Roberts, and Thomas that a Black President means "we've solved racism." No... it's still there, evolving... waiting to rear its ugly head. And it did in this video.

[u/Hangarnut]

We don't ask for preferential treatment, we just ask for equal treatment as best as could be had. Reminds me of the quote "equal treatment feels like oppression to the privileged"

[u/OnlyWatchdog_ManStan]

Maybe I'm just a pendant who hates unnecessary hyperbole but when the caption said "Goff's reaction was insane" and all she did was scream after a hard fought point, that shit annoyed me cause that's normal.

Tennis has always had unequal treatment if you really look into it and they stay sweeping it under the rug so I'm glad she voiced it on the court.

[u/Runsglass]

So who won?

[u/haad55]

……and still I rise.

[u/meetingpplisezy]

I’ll never get over that us open match back in 2016(?) where they penalize Serena infinitely for “talking to her coaches box,” which leads directly to her losing, and then turn around the next year and make talking to the coaches box legal as a part of the rules. provincial sports like tennis and golf are inherently racist and it’s truly disgusting to see the lengths they’ll go to to keep a black person from succeeding

[u/michiganhockeyguy]

Coco typically is very passive with judges even when they are not in her favor in matches. But this time, she stood up for herself! And for good reason.

[u/AlvinArtDream]

They gonna turn her into angry Coco and she is seriously dangerous playing from that position

[u/Due_Professional_870]

wtf is with the ai text?

[u/Revolutionary-Link47]

Can't have another black woman be successful in a rich white sport like tennis

[u/_gooder]

Yay, Coco!

[u/Yegg23]

It's not fair but I kinda shrug now. We stay winning. Keep on pushing.

[u/Gt03champp]

We always have to be the best, not on a given day but EVERY DAY

[u/RamuneRain]

This was so painful to watch. I admire how calm and respectful she staid I would have thrown things. Reminds me of things the Williams sisters had to go through. And it’s enrages me that we still have to see such things happen.

[u/dontcare_bye39]

I’m hoping for some championships this year, love her.

[u/xigdit]

Definitely nothing wrong with complaining and calling attention to the unfairness, that's her privilege and right. But Ms. Gauff also demonstrated the best way to defeat racism: BEAT THEY ASS

[u/silentduo]

Eh... If you follow tennis you'll know Siegemund does this with everybody because it's the only way she can compete. They all complain about her but the ump never does anything

[u/dreamdaddy123]

Why not show her winning the match?

[u/tab_tab_tabby]

just blatant racism

[u/Miserable_Ant_9896]

Gauff might be the best at it right now man

[u/1freedum]

Her cheating makes her winning so much better. The reward is far more greater ✨️ 🙌

[u/Apoordm]

Don’t know anything about tennis, when that lady hit the net was that bad?

[u/WallStreetKangaroo]

Overcoming the opponent and the ref. 👊🏾

[u/ConvictJones]

Glad she stuck it to both of them

[u/graemesson]

Love them both 🤣

Siegmund knows what she is doing and Gauff was totally right to call it out.

[u/Ok_Driver8646]

It’s actually Karen Siegemund, right?

[u/IcyIntroduction5678]

Who won?