Coco Gauff hits out at racist abuse after replayed point in Beijing draws backlash, tell me about this news today

During her round-of-32 victory at the 2026 China Open in Beijing, Coco Gauff faced a severe wave of online racist abuse following an on-court dispute that led to a replayed point.

What Happened During the Match

Playing against 16-year-old Chinese wild-card player Sun Xinran, Gauff halted play while serving at 4–5 in the first set, requesting a video review after spotting flickering LED advertising boards around the court.

The chair umpire reviewed the footage, determined the glitch caused an external hindrance under tournament rules, and ordered the point to be replayed. The decision drew boos from parts of the Beijing home crowd. Gauff went on to win the replayed point, broke back, and took control of the match, ultimately winning 7–5, 6–1.

The Backlash and Racist Abuse

Following the match, the incident ignited intense backlash on social media, particularly on Weibo and X, where hashtags criticizing the call rapidly went viral. Alongside criticism of the umpire’s ruling, Gauff received a barrage of hateful direct messages and racist slurs.

Gauff’s Response

Gauff took to social media to push back against the harassment, writing:

“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.”

She emphasized that players are explicitly briefed on their right to challenge distractions under the rules and that the final decision rested entirely with tournament officials, not her. Gauff also noted that she spoke with and apologized to Sun at the net after the match, praising the teenager’s performance and character while acknowledging how emotionally tough high-pressure situations can be in front of a home crowd.