Coco Gauff faces racial abuse at China Open, UN human rights condemns attacks

The United Nations human rights office has condemned racist online abuse directed at American tennis star Coco Gauff following a controversial incident during her China Open victory over China’s Sun Xinran. The incident sparked a backlash on social media against the two-time Grand Slam champion, who was the target of racial slurs after a disputed match point.

Gauff stopped playing during a key rally after raising her hand to complain about the flashing scoreboard as Sun was about to hit the winner. After reviewing the video, the referee ordered the point to be replayed. Gauff subsequently won the match 7-5, 6-1, but the controversy continued online, sparking a wave of racist comments directed at the 21-year-old American.

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The UN human rights office issued a strong statement on Saturday calling on the tennis community and sports organizations to stand up against racism and sexism. “Racist messages such as those targeting tennis player Coco Gauff online are appalling and illustrate that black female athletes are specifically targeted for vitriol and racial abuse,” X wrote.

“There is no place for racial or sexist slurs and abuse in sport. Players, coaches and sports organizations must stand up for those who face such attacks, and fans must push back against those who tarnish the sport with racism and sexism,” the statement added.

BEHIND THE BASIC PART, THE FIGHT FOR RESPECT

Gauff also responded directly to the abuse, making it clear that disagreement over a sporting decision can never justify racism. “You can dislike me or disagree with what happened without being racist,” she wrote on X in response to a post containing a racial slur.

The incident has once again highlighted the online hostility black women face in elite sport. A study by the WTA and World Tennis found that players were exposed to more than 12,000 inappropriate posts and messages on social media in 2025, compared to around 8,000 the previous year, underscoring the scale of the problem.

Gauff later acknowledged that the controversy had taken an emotional toll, leaving her exhausted. The abuse has also renewed calls for stronger action from governing bodies, platforms and sports communities to ensure athletes are protected from discriminatory attacks, both on and off the court.

Although Gauff secured a convincing win over Sun, her China Open campaign ended in the round of 16 on Wednesday when she suffered defeat to Elese Mertens. Her tournament therefore ended earlier than she would have hoped, with the controversy and subsequent online abuse casting a shadow over her performances in Beijing.

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