‘I'm not a cheater’: Coco Gauff hits back at racist abuse after China Open row

American tennis star Coco Gauff has spoken out against racist abuse following her victory at the China Open. In her win, Gauff faced controversy after her opponent, 16-year-old Sun Xinran, mistakenly believed Gauff had scored a point during a set where the score was 4-5. Gauff raised her hand to halt play due to a flickering light in the side panels near the court, which allowed her to win the next three points and secure the set. Gauff went on to win the match 7-5, 6-1, advancing to the last 16 in Beijing.

Gauff revealed the racial abuse she endured on social media in a lengthy explanation on X. She described the incident as "an unfortunate situation" and "out of my control," and confirmed that Sun had accepted her apology. However, Gauff was shocked by the sheer volume of racist comments and direct messages she received in the aftermath of her match.

She urged fans to dislike her opinions or disagree with events without resorting to racist language. Gauff emphasized that she is not a cheater or a thief, and that she is not alone in facing such abuse. In fact, a report in July indicated that female players faced over 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025. The Women's Tennis Association and World Tennis Association called for "collective action" to address the issue of abuse in the sport.