American tennis star Coco Gauff has said that online racist abuse she faced during the China Open left her feeling drained, following her straight-sets defeat in the fourth round.
Gauff, the world number four, lost 6-3, 6-3 to Belgium’s Elise Mertens on Wednesday. The loss came after she had earlier condemned a wave of racist comments and direct messages she received following her third-round win over 16-year-old Chinese player Sun Xinran.
In that match, Gauff raised her hand to halt play during a rally due to flickering lights on advertising boards. After a video review, the point was replayed and Gauff went on to win 7-5, 6-1. The incident prompted boos from the crowd and a surge of abusive online messages, which Gauff described as “insane.”
She posted on X: “Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist. The amount of racist comments and messages I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
After her exit, Gauff told reporters: “It has been kind of draining. I’m not going to lie. I just turn off my phone and move on. I mean, there’s nothing you can do.” She added that she felt “a bit flat” during the match against Mertens.
The Women’s Tennis Association said it was appalled by the abuse and was in contact with Gauff to offer support while seeking action against the content.
