Gauff hits out at racist abuse after replayed point in Beijing sparks backlash
Gauff said the abuse followed a replayed point she challenged under WTA rules after electronic boards flickered during play.
- On Monday, American tennis star Coco Gauff halted a rally against 16-year-old Sun Xinran at the China Open after electronic advertising boards flickered; the chair umpire ruled the flicker a hindrance and ordered the point replayed.
- Gauff explained she followed WTA rules allowing players to challenge points after play concludes, and apologized to Sun at the net, calling her an "incredible talent" who "completely understood."
- Following the match, Gauff faced an "insane" amount of racist comments and direct messages on social media, condemning the hostility on X: "Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist."
- The Women's Tennis Association condemned the racist abuse, stating there is "no place for racism, discrimination, or abuse in tennis," and cited 2025 data showing more than 12,000 abusive posts directed at players.
- On Wednesday, Gauff exited the tournament after losing to Belgian Elise Mertens in the Round of 16, describing the preceding days as "kind of draining" after she turned off her phone to cope.
198 Articles
198 Articles
Coco Gauff Speaks Out After Getting Hit With Barrage Of Racist Comments After Stopping Play During China Open Match
There’s criticism, and then there’s racism. Coco Gauff is making it clear that the two are not the same.What began with a disputed point during Gauff’s China Open match against 16-year-old Sun Xinran soon became something much uglier online.Late in the first set, Sun appeared poised to put away a winner when Gauff suddenly raised her hand and stopped playing. The moment centered on the electronic advertising boards surrounding the court, and Gau…
Coco Gauff knocked out of China Open, says wave of racist abuse from past match ‘insane’
Coco Gauff lost to a player she had beaten in all five of their previous matchups after receiving what she described as an “insane” amount of racist comments on social media following a controversial point in the preceding round.
‘I’m Not a Cheater’: Coco Gauff Exposes ‘Insane’ Wave of Online Attacks After Her China Open Win Against 16-Year-Old Opponent
Coco Gauff walked off the court in Beijing on Monday with another win under her belt. However, by the time she checked her phone, the […] ‘I’m Not a Cheater’: Coco Gauff Exposes ‘Insane’ Wave of Online Attacks After Her China Open Win Against 16-Year-Old Opponent
Exhausted Coco Gauff falls to Elise Mertens at China Open days after dealing with racist abuse
A straight-sets defeat Wednesday to a player Coco Gauff had beaten in all five of their previous matchups came days after she had received what she described as an "insane" amount of racist comments on social media following a controversial point in the preceding round.
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