Gauff hits out at racist abuse after replayed point in Beijing sparks backlash
Gauff said she followed the rules and called out racist messages after a video review replayed a point in her 7-5, 6-1 win.
- 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.
41 Articles
41 Articles
Because the LED displays in the arena irritated them, Coco Gauff complained, got right – and won the match in Beijing. Her only 16-year-old opponent was close to tears. After that, Gauff beat hate in the net.
After a controversial video review in Beijing, the American woman is confronted with fierce criticism and racist insults. Gauff stresses that she only followed the rules.
Coco Gauff is criticized for an alleged fraud, partly violently. She defends herself publicly and gets support from a German tennis legend.
Gauff hits out at racist abuse after replayed point drama
Coco Gauff said she had received an "insane" amount of racial abuse on social media after the two-times Grand Slam champion beat local teenager Sun Xinran at the China Open on Monday in a match where a replayed point sparked an online backlash.
Coco Gauff condemns racist abuse after replayed point controversy in Beijing at China Open win over Sun Xinran
Coco Gauff said she had received an "insane" amount of racial abuse on social media after the two-times Grand Slam champion beat local teenager Sun Xinran at the China Open on Monday in a match where a replayed point sparked an online backlash.The American won 7-5 6-1 to reach the fourth round, but was targeted after stopping play during a crucial point in the first set, raising her hand to complain about a flickering advertising board just as…
Gauff hits out at racist abuse after replayed point in Beijing sparks backlash
Coco Gauff said she had received an "insane" amount of racial abuse on social media after the two-times Grand Slam champion beat local teenager Sun Xinran at the China Open on Monday in a match where a replayed point sparked an online backlash.
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