Gauff in racial abuse controversy at China Open after replayed point

What the report says

Coco Gauff says she was hit with a wave of racist abuse on social media after a controversial point in her third-round win over China’s Sun Xinran at the China Open in Beijing. According to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters, the incident came in the first set when Gauff raised her hand to complain about a flickering advertising board as Sun was about to finish the point. A video review followed, and the chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed.

Gauff won the replayed point, held serve, and went on to beat the 16-year-old Chinese player 7-5, 6-1 to advance to the fourth round. The report says the online reaction escalated after the match, with Gauff describing the messages she received as “insane” and pushing back against accusations that she had cheated. She said players can challenge certain calls, including claims that a distraction affected play.

The episode highlights a broader problem in tennis: online abuse directed at players. The Women’s Tennis Association has introduced systems to monitor abusive content, and the article cites a recent WTA and World Tennis study that found more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages in 2025. Gauff also said she spoke with Sun after the match and apologized for how the situation unfolded, adding that she respected the teenager’s potential and the experience of playing in front of her home crowd.