‘I’m not a cheat or a thief’: Coco Gauff hits back at racist abuse after China Open controversy

Coco Gauff after winning her round of 32 match against China’s Sun Xinran. (Photo by Reuters) Coco Gauff hit out at a “crazy” spate of racist abuse on social media following her controversial China Open victory over home teenager Sun Xinran on Monday.The American, a two-time Grand Slam champion, beat the 16-year-old 7-5, 6-1 to reach the fourth round in Beijing but found herself targeted online after an incident late in the opening set.Gauff stopped play during a key rally after spotting a flashing advertising board on the court just as the Sun appeared poised to knock out the winner. The umpire subsequently ordered the point replayed after video review and Gauff won the replay before serving to tie the set at 5–5.

Gauff responds to racist messages

The incident sparked a backlash on social media, with Gauff saying she was subjected to a barrage of abusive messages after the match. Responding to a post containing a racial slur on Tuesday, X, the 22-year-old American, made it clear that criticism of her actions did not justify racist abuse.“You can dislike me or disagree with what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote. “The amount of racist comments/direct messages I’ve received in the last few hours is insane.“Finally, I’m not a fraud or a thief.Gauff also explained that she was acting within the rules by contesting the point. Players may request video reviews for certain cases of judgment, including situations where interference may have disrupted play.The extent of online abuse directed at female tennis players is a growing concern for the WTA. The governing body has implemented an artificial intelligence system that monitors thousands of social media posts involving players and officials. A study by the WTA and World Tennis found that players were exposed to more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages in 2025, up from around 8,000 the previous year.

What happened during the controversial point?

The controversy began when Gauff stopped the rally after electronic billboards around the court flashed during a point. The Sun appeared to be on their way to winning the game when Gauff raised her hand to stop the game. After reviewing the video, the referee ruled that the point should be replayed. Gauff won a break point and then held serve to make it 5-5 before taking control of the match.Gauff said she spoke with the Sun after the competition and apologized for the situation. The Chinese teenager, who received a wild card into the tournament and made her WTA debut, looked emotional after her defeat. She recently won the junior title at the US Open.“Xinran is an incredible talent and player, I apologized for the situation at the end of the match and she totally understood,” Gauff wrote.“I hated to see her so emotional when I was there and I really understand how she feels, but this is the start of an incredible career. It was an honor to share the court in front of her home crowd.”Gauff, who herself reached the fourth round of Wimbledon as a 15-year-old in 2019, said she understood Sun’s emotions after such a high-profile match. Despite the controversy surrounding the dropped point, Gauff recovered to win comfortably and advance to the fourth round of the China Open.