American tennis star Coco Gauff says she received a wave of racist messages after a disputed point during her third-round win at the China Open in Beijing, where she defeated 16-year-old home favorite Sun Xinran 7-5, 6-1.
The controversy began late in the first set when electronic advertising boards lining the court flickered during a point. Sun appeared to be on the verge of winning the point when Gauff stopped play. The chair umpire then ordered the point replayed, a decision that frustrated some fans given Sun was playing in front of her home crowd on her WTA Tour debut.
Gauff said she first noticed a light flicker early in the point but was uncertain of what she had seen. “We are told before the matches we are allowed to continue to finish play so KEEP IT (sic) MIND i am thinking about all of this while i’m playing the point. anything can be challenged after the point is over,” she wrote on X. She added that had she lost the point, Sun would have had the same right to request a replay.
After the match, Gauff said she faced a flood of abusive messages. “hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist. the amount of racist comments/dms I’ve received in the last few hours is insane,” she wrote, adding she is “not a cheater or a thief.” Gauff has previously said she received similar racist comments from gamblers earlier this year.
She defended her decision to stop play, saying she was simply following the rules. “It was an unfortunate situation but it is out of my control, the think pieces and calling me an unfair is ridiculous when those are the rules. I did not make them, I think it’s weird i’m getting hate for following the rules,” she said.
Gauff also praised Sun, who recently won the U.S. Open junior title and received a wild-card entry into the Beijing tournament. “Xinran is incredible talent and player, I apologized for the situation at the end of the match and she completely understood,” Gauff said.
Sun appeared visibly emotional after the loss, and Gauff, who herself reached the fourth round of Wimbledon as a 15-year-old in 2019, said she empathized with the teenager. “I did not like to see her so emotional as I’ve been there and I really understand what it is like but this is just the beginning of an incredible career. It was an honor to share the court in front of her home crowd,” Gauff said.
Gauff will next play Elise Mertens in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
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