Coco Gauff has spoken out against a wave of racist abuse directed at her online after a controversial replayed point during her China Open victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran sparked a backlash.
The American, 22, defeated the 16-year-old 7-5, 6-1 on Monday (Oct 5) in Beijing to reach the fourth round. But the match drew attention after Gauff stopped play during a crucial point in the opening set, prompting the chair umpire to order the rally replayed following a video review.
Gauff later said she had received an “insane” amount of racist comments and direct messages on social media following the incident.
Gauff Defends Decision to Stop Play
The controversy occurred late in the first set, with Gauff serving at 4-5.
During a long rally, electronic advertising boards around the court flickered. Gauff raised her hand to stop play just as Sun appeared poised to hit a potential winner.
The chair umpire reviewed the incident and determined that the flickering advertising display constituted a distraction outside the players’ control. The point was therefore replayed.
Gauff won the replayed point and went on to hold serve for 5-5. She then took control of the match, winning six of the next seven games to complete a straight-sets victory.
The decision drew criticism online, with some users accusing Gauff of deliberately stopping play to prevent Sun from winning the point.
Gauff rejected those accusations, explaining that she had acted within the rules.
‘You Can Dislike Me Without Being Racist’
Following the match, Gauff responded to the abuse on X.
She said criticism of her actions was fair game, but argued that racial attacks crossed a clear line.
“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote in response to a post containing a racial slur. She added that the amount of racist comments and direct messages she had received was “insane” and insisted: “I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
Gauff, who is Black, also explained that players are allowed to request video reviews in situations where a distraction may have interfered with play.
She said she found it unusual that she was being criticised for following the rules governing such incidents.
Gauff Apologises to Sun
Despite the controversy surrounding the point, Gauff expressed sympathy for Sun after the match.
Sun, who received a wild card into the China Open and was making her WTA Tour debut, appeared visibly emotional after the defeat. She is also the reigning US Open girls’ singles champion.
Gauff said she apologised to Sun at the end of the match and that the teenager understood the situation.
The American also praised her young opponent’s ability and said she understood what it was like to experience an emotional loss early in a career.
Gauff said she was honoured to play against Sun in front of her home crowd and expressed hope that the teenager would have a successful career.
Similar Incident Had Happened Earlier
The replayed point was not the first such incident at this year’s China Open.
During a men’s quarter-final between Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic on Sunday, a point was also replayed after Zverev complained about flickering advertising panels around the court. The umpire agreed to review the incident and ordered the point replayed.
That earlier decision provides additional context for Gauff’s explanation that the ruling in her match was based on the tournament’s rules rather than an attempt to gain an unfair advantage.
Online Abuse Remains a Major Problem in Tennis
The incident has also highlighted the broader problem of online abuse directed at professional tennis players.
The Women’s Tennis Association has introduced an artificial-intelligence-powered system to monitor abusive content targeting players and officials on social media.
A study conducted by the WTA and World Tennis found that more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages were directed at players in 2025, up from about 8,000 the previous year.
The figures underscore the scale of abuse athletes can face online, particularly following controversial matches or high-profile incidents.
Gauff Advances Despite Controversy
The controversy did not prevent Gauff from progressing in Beijing.
Her 7-5, 6-1 victory over Sun sent the two-time Grand Slam champion into the last 16 of the China Open. Gauff, the tournament’s fourth seed, is scheduled to face Elise Mertens in the fourth round on Wednesday.
For Gauff, the incident ultimately became about more than a disputed tennis point. While acknowledging that fans and viewers can disagree with her decisions on court, she made clear that criticism does not justify racial abuse.
The episode has once again placed the spotlight on the increasingly difficult line professional athletes must navigate between legitimate sporting criticism and targeted online harassment.
