The American tennis player said she faced a stream of racist messages after beating Sun Xinran 7-5, 6-1 in Beijing.
Coco Gauff reported racist abuse on social media after defeating Sun Xinran in the third round of the Beijing tournament. The American won in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.
In the first set, Gauff stopped a rally and pointed out flashing LED panels beside the court, which she said were distracting her. The chair umpire agreed and ordered the point replayed; Gauff won it. She then took nine of the next ten games.
Her accounts were flooded with hostile comments during the match. In a post on X, Gauff said disagreement with her decision did not justify racism and that she had received many racist comments and direct messages. She also rejected accusations that she had cheated or stolen a point.
Gauff said she apologised to Sun after the match for the awkward incident. The Chinese player accepted the apology understandingly, she said. Gauff praised her opponent as exceptionally talented and said she had a bright future.