Coco Gauff faces racist abuse following China Open controversy

American tennis star Coco Gauff has faced a wave of racist and sexist abuse on social media following a controversial moment during her China Open match against Sun Xinran. The incident occurred when Gauff paused play to report flickering LED advertising boards, leading the umpire to order a replay of the point. While Gauff won the match, online critics accused her of cheating, and the subsequent backlash included racial slurs.

Gauff described the influx of messages as ‘draining’ and has since withdrawn from the Wuhan Open. The United Nations Human Rights Office, led by High Commissioner Volker Türk, condemned the attacks, stating that Black female athletes are specifically targeted for such vitriol. The UN urged sports bodies and coaches to stand in solidarity against such abuse.

While the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) eventually offered support, fans have criticized the organization for its delayed response to the targeting of their athlete.