Gauff condemns racist abuse after China Open win

Coco Gauff, the world number four, condemned racist abuse she faced on social media following her victory at the China Open. The incident occurred after Gauff had served at 4-5 in the first set against 16-year-old Sun Xinran. Sun thought Gauff had hit a winner, but Gauff raised her hand to stop play due to a flickering light in the side panels surrounding the court. Gauff went on to win the next three points and close out the set, ultimately winning the match 7-5, 6-1.

Gauff explained her actions in a post on X, stating that the situation was unfortunate but out of her control. She assured Sun that she had apologized for any misunderstanding. Gauff also addressed a reply to her original post containing racist language, writing that while people were free to dislike her or disagree with the events, they should not do so in a racist manner. She expressed disbelief at the sheer volume of racist comments and direct messages she had received in the hours following her victory.

This incident is not isolated, as a report in July revealed that female players received over 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and World Tennis Association (WTA) have called for collective action to address the issue of online abuse in women's tennis.