Coco Gauff Says Racist Online Abuse Left Her 'Draining' as China Open Campaign Ends in Straight-Sets Defeat

American tennis star Coco Gauff has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of racist abuse she received online, describing the experience as "draining" just one day after her departure from the China Open in Beijing. The world number four, who was competing as a Black American athlete on the international stage, fell to Belgium's Elise Mertens in straight sets on Wednesday, a defeat that came amid a firestorm of vitriolic commentary directed at her on social media.

Gauff's exit from the tournament followed a controversial second-round match against Chinese teenager Sun Xinran, during which the 22-year-old requested a video review over flickering LED lights emanating from the stadium's advertising hoardings. That decision, though procedurally legitimate and ultimately upheld by the umpire, drew audible boos from sections of the crowd. Gauff went on to win that match 7-5, 6-1, but the backlash online quickly spiraled into something far more sinister than ordinary sports criticism.

By early Tuesday, Gauff had taken to social media platform X to address the vitriol directly. "Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist," she wrote, responding to a post that contained a racial slur. In a follow-up message, she expressed astonishment at the sheer volume of hateful content, writing: "The amount of racist comments and messages I've received in the last few hours is insane." Her decision to confront the abuse publicly marked a rare and pointed intervention from one of tennis's most prominent young stars.

Speaking to reporters after her loss to Mertens, Gauff was measured but visibly affected when asked how the online hostility had impacted her. "It has been kind of draining. I'm not going to lie," she admitted, before outlining her coping strategy. "But I just turn off my phone and move on. There's nothing you can do." The comment reflected a weary pragmatism, suggesting that for Gauff, dealing with racist abuse has become an unwelcome but familiar part of her professional reality. Her response—disengaging from the digital sphere entirely—highlights the limited options available to athletes facing coordinated online harassment.

On the court, Gauff's performance against Mertens was uncharacteristically flat. She recorded eight double faults across the match, a statistic that underscored her struggles with rhythm and consistency. Mertens, ranked nineteenth in the world, secured the victory 6-3, 6-3, advancing to a quarterfinal showdown with Poland's Iga Swiatek. Reflecting on her own play, Gauff offered little in the way of excuses. "I think I just didn't play well. I think I wasn't moving well," she said. "There were a lot of things I didn't do well. I thought Elise played well on the bigger points." It was a blunt self-assessment, though observers could not help but wonder whether the weight of the preceding days had contributed to her subdued display.

Mertens, for her part, was gracious in victory, describing Gauff as an "incredible player" and acknowledging the difficulty of the contest. "I knew it was going to be a very tough match," the Belgian said. She dedicated the win to her coach, who is also her boyfriend, adding a personal dimension to an otherwise professional milestone. For Gauff, the loss represented a disappointing end to a tournament where she had previously enjoyed considerable success, having won the Beijing title in 2024 and reached the semifinals the following year.

The Women's Tennis Association responded swiftly to the abuse directed at Gauff, issuing a statement to the AFP news agency expressing its revulsion. A spokesperson said the governing body was "appalled by the racial abuse directed at Coco Gauff" and confirmed it was "in contact with her to offer our full support." The WTA further emphasized that there is "no place for racism, discrimination, or abuse in tennis" and stated it was "seeking action" against the perpetrators of the abusive content. The statement reflects growing pressure on sports governing bodies to take tangible steps against online harassment targeting athletes.

Gauff's experience is far from isolated. In recent years, a number of high-profile Black athletes across tennis, football, and other sports have reported similar patterns of racial abuse following losses, controversial moments, or simply as a result of their visibility. The advent of social media has democratized fan engagement but also created unmoderated spaces where anonymous users can direct slurs and threats at public figures with minimal consequence. For athletes of color, the psychological burden of competing at an elite level is often compounded by the knowledge that a poor performance or an unpopular decision may trigger a torrent of racist invective.

During her match against Sun, Gauff had noticed the LED advertising boards flickering for a second time and sought to challenge the point before her opponent had returned the ball. The umpire agreed to replay the point, a ruling that, while correct under the rules, inflamed some spectators who perceived it as gamesmanship. The boos that followed appeared to stem from a misunderstanding of the sequence of events, but the online reaction quickly transcended the incident itself, morphing into something far more personal and venomous. Gauff later clarified the timeline of her challenge in an effort to set the record straight.

Notably, despite the hostility she faced online, Gauff retained visible support within the stadium on Wednesday. A small group of supporters in the largely empty arena attempted to rally her during the match, urging her toward a comeback that ultimately never materialized. The presence of those fans, however modest, offered a counterpoint to the digital animosity and underscored that her popularity among tennis enthusiasts remains intact. Gauff has long been regarded as one of the sport's most marketable and engaging personalities, a status that makes the abuse she endures all the more jarring.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Swiatek continued her dominant run with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over American teenager Iva Jovic, completing the match in one hour and thirty-five minutes. The Polish world number nine described her performance with characteristic confidence. "I had it under control from the beginning," Swiatek said. "I feel like I'm improving every day." Her efficiency stood in contrast to Gauff's struggles, highlighting the fine margins that separate victory from defeat at the highest level of women's tennis.

Later in the day, China's Zheng Qinwen was scheduled to face 118th-ranked Alina Charaeva, while Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, seeded sixth, was set to take on American Ann Li. The China Open continues to unfold against the backdrop of Gauff's revelations, raising uncomfortable questions about the intersection of sport, race, and digital culture. For Gauff, the immediate priority is recovery—both physical and emotional—as she looks ahead to future tournaments. But her decision to speak openly about the abuse has ensured that the conversation extends beyond her own experience, shining a light on a problem that sports institutions are increasingly being called upon to address.