Coco Gauff faces racist abuse following China Open controversy

Tennis star Coco Gauff has faced a significant wave of racist and sexist abuse on social media following a controversial moment during her China Open match against Xinran Sun. The incident occurred when Gauff requested a replay of a point, citing a flickering advertising board that affected her concentration. While the chair umpire ruled in Gauff's favor, the decision led to online accusations of cheating and a torrent of racial vitriol.

Gauff stated that the harassment was “insane” and left her feeling exhausted, noting that she had to turn off her phone to cope. The backlash reportedly impacted her performance, contributing to a subsequent loss to Elise Mertens and her withdrawal from the Wuhan Open.

The United Nations human rights office condemned the attacks as “appalling,” stating they illustrate how Black female athletes are specifically targeted for racial abuse and sexism. Former world number one Andy Roddick also defended Gauff, calling the online comments “disgusting” and asserting that she did nothing wrong by questioning the play.