Coco Gauff Says Online Racist Abuse Left Her Drained After China Open Exit

American tennis star Coco Gauff says a wave of racist abuse on social media made an already difficult few days emotionally exhausting, following a controversial incident at the China Open in Beijing.

The 22-year-old world No. 4 was eliminated from the tournament on Wednesday after losing 6-3, 6-3 to Belgium’s Elise Mertens. It was Gauff’s first defeat to Mertens after winning their previous five meetings.

The online abuse began after Gauff’s third-round victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran. During a crucial point late in the opening set, Gauff stopped play after noticing flickering lights from advertising panels around the court. Following a review, the umpire ordered the point to be replayed, and Gauff eventually won it before taking the match 7-5, 6-1.

The decision triggered criticism online, with Gauff subsequently reporting what she described as an “insane” volume of racist comments and direct messages.

Gauff defended her actions, saying people could disagree with her without resorting to racism. She also rejected accusations that she had deliberately acted improperly during the match.

Speaking after her defeat to Mertens, Gauff acknowledged that the abuse had affected her.

“It has been kind of draining, I’m not going to lie,” she said, explaining that she had switched off her phone and tried to move on.

Her performance against Mertens appeared unusually flat. Gauff committed eight double faults and 34 unforced errors during the straight-sets defeat. At one point, she told her team that she had no energy and felt as though she might pass out.

The Women’s Tennis Association condemned the racist attacks and said it was in contact with Gauff to offer its support. The incident has also renewed concerns about the level of online abuse faced by professional tennis players.

Despite the difficult episode, Gauff has chosen to step away from the online commentary rather than allow the abuse to dominate her season. Her China Open campaign ends with disappointment, but the broader controversy has again highlighted the damaging consequences of racism and harassment on social media.