Coco Gauff Calls Out 'Insane' Racist Abuse After China Open Controversy

Coco Gauff is calling out racist abuse directed at her online after a disputed point during her China Open victory became a flashpoint on social media.

According to The New York Times, the two-time Grand Slam champion said she received a barrage of racist comments and direct messages after stopping play during her 7-5, 6-1 win over 16-year-old Sun Xinran on Monday. Gauff, 22, directly addressed the abuse on X while also rejecting accusations that she had cheated her opponent.

“Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote. “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.”

The controversy stemmed from a critical moment late in the opening set. Gauff was serving at 4-5 and 15-15 when, during an extended rally, she raised her hand to stop play. Sun subsequently reached a volley and hit what would otherwise have been a winner, potentially moving her within two points of the set.

But Gauff had stopped because advertising displays along the court flickered during the rally. She later explained that she noticed the boards change earlier in the point but wasn’t sure what she had seen.

The chair umpire reviewed video of the incident and determined that the changing display constituted a hindrance. The point was replayed, with Gauff winning it before ultimately taking the first set 7-5 and cruising through the second, 6-1, to reach the China Open round of 16.

It isn't the first time this year that Gauff has used social media to clarify comments that generated backlash. In January, she responded after remarks about American tennis fans at the United Cup circulated widely.

Gauff had described U.S. tennis supporters as “the worst” when it came to visibly supporting players overseas compared with fans from some smaller countries.

She later said the remark had been “taken out of context,” explaining that she wasn't expecting Americans to travel internationally specifically to watch her play.

“People don’t owe me anything,” Gauff said at the time, adding that she was referring to American spectators already attending tournaments and the comparatively visible national support she had seen from other countries.

Taylor Fritz, who was sitting beside Gauff when she originally made the remarks, also defended her interpretation, saying there had been “absolutely no disrespect meant to the US fans.”