Coco Gauff has spoken up after what she described as an “insane” wave of racist abuse on social media following a disputed point during her China Open third-round match against home player Sun Xinran in Beijing. The American tennis player said fans could disagree with her actions during the match, but expressed disappointment that racist comments and direct messages were unacceptable.
The controversy arrived in the first set of Gauff's match against Sun, when electronic advertising boards around the court appeared to flicker during a rally. Gauff stopped playing the point even though Sun appeared to be in a position to win it. The chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed.
The decision was quickly picked up on by tennis fans online. Gauff, Black and currently No. 4 in the world, has since taken to social media to talk about the criticism for her. She said criticism over the disputed point was understandable, but she also had nothing to do with the racist abuse directed at her.
Gauff also rejected any notion that she had purposefully lied to them during the match. She said people could dislike her or disagree with what happened without resorting to racism and said she did not consider herself a cheater or a thief.
Gauff remained focused on the match and eventually won 7-5, 6-1 against Sun in a very close first set. The American took over in the second set and advanced to the fourth round of the China Open.
Sun, who was just 16 years old, was at the tournament for the first time on the WTA Tour and was making her WTA Tour debut. The Chinese teen came to the tournament with a wild card and had recently won the U.S. Open junior title, making her one of the young players in the world to watch.
Sun appeared visibly emotional after losing. Gauff later voiced sympathy on behalf of her opponent and said she understood how difficult it can be for a young player to deal with an emotional loss, especially in front of a home crowd.
Gauff said Sun is an “incredible talent and player” and that she apologized at the end of the match to the teenager for what she did. Sun fully understood what was happening, Gauff said. The American also added that her opponent would get so emotional too because she had experienced similar feelings earlier in her own career.
Gauff’s own rise started at a very young age. She reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2019 when she was only 15 and established herself on the international stage with a breakthrough run. Since then, she has become one of women’s tennis’s top players and has won two Grand Slam singles titles.
The China Open incident shows how much more intense social media scrutiny athletes are facing. At big sporting events, controversial moments often produce strong reactions, and players are regularly critiqued by huge online crowds. But Gauff’s comments also demonstrate that there is a difference between a sports debate and personal abuse based on race.
A match like this is also meaningful for Sun, despite the defeat. Making her WTA Tour debut against a two-time Grand Slam champion is a big step in her young career. Gauff also said she hopes the teenager will learn from it and keep going.
The China Open match therefore generated contrasting emotions for both players. Gauff did not get to any further with the other players because of the controversy, but the dispute over the point and the Internet abuse that followed it made the match more of a bigger deal. Gauff’s decision to speak publicly about the racist comments is once again highlighting the abuse athletes can face online, as well as her words of encouragement for Sun to keep their spirits up after a hard match.
