Coco Gauff Says She Received ‘Insane’ Amount Of Racist Messages After Controversial China Open Point

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff Says She Received ‘Insane’ Amount Of Racist Messages After Controversial China Open Point

Coco Gauff is speaking out after receiving a wave of r*cist messages following her victory over 16-year-old Chinese tennis player Sun Xinran at the China Open.

The controversy happened late in the first set of Gauff’s 7-5, 6-1 win Monday (Oct. 5). During a rally with Gauff serving at 4-5, electronic advertising boards near the court flickered. Gauff stopped play as Sun was preparing to hit what appeared to be a winner. After reviewing the incident on video, the chair umpire determined the flickering boards were an outside hindrance and ordered the point to be replayed.

Gauff won the replayed point and ultimately the match, but the decision triggered backlash online — including r•cist comments and direct messages aimed at the 22-year-old American star.

Gauff responded directly on social media:

“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being r*cist.”

She added that the amount of r*cist comments and DMs she’d received was “insane,” while pushing back against accusations that she had cheated or stolen the match.

Gauff later explained that players are permitted to request a video review in situations involving potential distractions and said she believed she was simply following the rules. She also revealed that she apologized to Sun afterward and said the teenager understood what happened.

Despite the controversy, Gauff had high praise for Sun, calling her an “incredible talent” and saying she understood how emotional the moment could be for a young player competing in front of her home crowd.