Coco Gauff Faces Racist Abuse After Disputed Point at China Open

Coco Gauff condemned a wave of racist abuse on social media following a controversial moment during her third-round match against 16-year-old Sun Xinran at the China Open in Beijing on October 5, 2026. While serving at 4-5 in the first set, Gauff stopped play because electronic advertising boards lining the court flickered, citing distraction as grounds for a point replay under rules allowing players to request video reviews when play hindrances occur. The point was replayed and won by Gauff, who went on to win the match 7-5, 6-1 to advance to the last 16.

On social media platform X, Gauff responded directly to racist comments: "You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist. The amount of racist comments/direct messages I've received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I'm not a cheater or a thief." She also addressed Sun's emotional reaction, apologizing to the 16-year-old and acknowledging her talent. "Xinran is an incredible talent and player," Gauff wrote, noting that Sun had understood and accepted her apology after the match.

Sun, who recently won the U.S. Open junior title and was making her WTA Tour debut via wild-card entry, appeared distraught after the loss. Gauff, the world number four and two-time Grand Slam champion, expressed sympathy for Sun's disappointment while framing the setback as the beginning of a promising career.

The incident reflects a broader pattern of online harassment targeting female tennis players. A July 2026 report found that female players were subjected to more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025. The WTA and World Tennis have called for "collective action" to make "significant progress" in tackling abuse in the sport.