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Coco Gauff hits back at critics after controversial China Open challenge: 'I'm not a cheater'
- Coco Gauff reached the Round of 16 at the China Open after defeating 16-year-old Sun Xinran, though the victory followed a controversial mid-point challenge. The American halted play due to a flickering light while serving at 4-5.
- Gauff explained on Monday that she followed rules allowing players to challenge after a point. She called the incident "an unfortunate situation" that was "out of my control," noting Sun had understood and accepted her apology.
- Following the match, Gauff faced a surge of racist comments and direct messages on social media. She wrote, "You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist," denouncing the "insane" volume of abuse.
- More than 12,000 abusive social media posts targeted female players in 2025, according to a report. The WTA and World Tennis stated "collective action" is required to make "significant progress" in tackling the problem.
- Despite the controversy, Gauff advanced in Beijing with a 7-5, 6-1 victory, illustrating persistent challenges regarding online harassment in the women's game. The incident underscores why collective action remains essential for player safety.
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Coco Gauff claps back at racial abuse after replay controversy at the China Open turns nasty
Controversy over replay at the China Open has led to Coco Gauff facing racially abusive language on social media following her Round of 32 victory over rising star Sun Xinran.
·New York, United States
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Coco Gauff Fires Back At Racist Internet Troll After Defeating Teenager At China Open
Tennis star Coco Gauff is shutting down an internet troll who hurled a racist slur at her following her win […] The Coco Gauff Fires Back At Racist Internet Troll After Defeating Teenager At China Open first appeared on The Blast
·West Hollywood, United States
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Total News Sources20
Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left, 43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left, 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 43%
C 43%
14%
Factuality
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