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.
55 Articles
55 Articles
Coco Gauff was subjected to a wave of online racism after her victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran at the China Open in Beijing. Now the tennis star is roaring on social media.
U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff has publicly resisted racist comments after a controversy over a controversial video review at the Beijing tournament. "(...) You can't like me or disagree about what happened without being racist. The amount of racist comments and messages I've received in recent hours is insane. And once again, I'm neither a fraud nor a thief, she wrote on X.
After a controversial scene at the Beijing tournament, Coco Gauff is criticized and insulted on the Internet. The tennis star defends himself with clear words. Boris Becker also jumps to her side.
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.
American tennis player Coco Gauff said she received a large amount of racist abuse after defeating local talent Sun Xinran at the China Open.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
