BEIJING, China — Coco Gauff has condemned an “insane” wave of racist abuse directed at her on social media after a disputed point during her China Open victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran.
The American tennis star said she received racist comments and direct messages after defeating the 16-year-old Sun 7-5, 6-1 in their third-round match in Beijing.
The controversy arose late in the first set when courtside electronic advertising boards flickered during a rally.
Gauff stopped playing and raised her hand to alert the chair umpire as Sun appeared poised to hit a winner.
After reviewing the incident on video, the umpire ordered the point to be replayed.
Gauff won the replayed point, held serve to level the set at 5-5, and went on to win nine of the final 10 games of the match.
The decision prompted criticism online, some of which Gauff said crossed into racial abuse.
“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote on X.
She said the volume of racist messages she had received was “insane”, adding: “I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
@HHuotui hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist. the amount of racist comments/dms I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I ‘m not a cheater or a thief.
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) October 5, 2026
The comments followed her victory on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the National Tennis Center in Beijing.
Gauff Says She Followed the Rules
Gauff defended her decision to stop the rally, saying players had been informed that incidents involving distractions could be reviewed after a point.
Under the tournament’s video-review system, players can ask officials to examine certain judgment calls, including whether an external distraction interfered with play.
Gauff said she first noticed the advertising display flicker earlier in the rally but was uncertain whether she had actually seen it.
When the lights flickered again, she raised her hands before Sun completed her shot, she said.
The umpire reviewed the footage and determined that the point should be replayed.
Gauff rejected suggestions that she had manipulated the situation to gain an advantage, saying the decision ultimately belonged to the officials and that she had merely followed the available procedure.
The incident occurred with Sun leading 5-4 in the opening set and Gauff serving to remain in it.
After winning the replayed point, Gauff held for 5-5 and then took the next two games to win the set 7-5.
She dominated the second set 6-1 to secure a place in the round of 16.
Gauff won nine of the final 10 games and completed the victory in one hour and 29 minutes.
Gauff Apologises to Sun
Gauff said she spoke to Sun after the match and apologised for how the disputed point had unfolded.
She praised the Chinese teenager, who was visibly emotional as the match slipped away from her, describing her as an exceptional young player with a promising career ahead.
“Xinran’s an incredible talent and player,” Gauff wrote, saying Sun understood her explanation.
Gauff said she could relate to the teenager’s emotions because she had experienced similar moments earlier in her own career.
Sun, the world’s No. 1 junior player, entered the tournament after winning the U.S. Open girls’ singles title and was making her first appearance against an opponent ranked inside the world’s top five.
Gauff, now 22, similarly emerged on the international stage as a teenager, famously defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019 when she was 15.
The WTA currently ranks her No. 4 in the world.
Online Abuse a Growing Concern in Tennis
The racist attacks directed at Gauff come amid growing concern over social-media abuse aimed at professional tennis players.
The Women’s Tennis Association has introduced an artificial-intelligence-powered monitoring system designed to identify abusive messages sent to players and officials.
A study conducted by the WTA and World Tennis found that players received more than 12,000 abusive social-media posts and messages in 2025, compared with roughly 8,000 the previous year.
Female athletes have frequently reported receiving racist, sexist, and threatening messages after high-profile matches, particularly following defeats or disputed incidents.
Gauff made clear that she accepted disagreement over the decision to replay the point but rejected racial attacks as a response to the controversy.
Her victory over Sun advanced her to the fourth round of the China Open, where her tournament run ended on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
