• Coco Gauff faced significant online racial abuse following her match at the China Open.
• Gauff called out racism after stopping play during a crucial point against Sun Xinran.
• The controversy revolves around a flickering advertising board that led to a replay.
• The WTA has intensified efforts to combat online abuse among players.
• Gauff praised her opponent Sun Xinran for her talent and expressed remorse over the situation.

Coco Gauff has publicly condemned the "insane" amount of racist messages she received on social media following her match against 16-year-old Sun Xinran at the China Open. Gauff secured a 7-5, 6-1 victory but faced backlash after she halted play during a crucial point, raising her hand to signal a distraction caused by flickering electronic advertising boards, just as Sun appeared poised to win the point. "You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist," Gauff stated on X, emphasizing that she was not cheating or being unfair, according to Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and CBS News.

The incident unfolded during the first set, leading to a video review mandated by the chair umpire, who ultimately decided to replay the point. Gauff subsequently won the replayed point and maintained her momentum to take control of the match. After the match, she reflected on her actions, seeking to clarify that athletes are permitted to challenge calls if they believe a distraction has occurred. "I didn’t like to see her so emotional as I've been there and I really understand what it’s like," she noted in her remarks following the match, according to Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and CBS News.

Gauff's experience comes at a time when the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is working harder to address the growing problem of online abuse through initiatives like an AI-powered monitoring system for social media. In 2025, the WTA reported a substantial rise in abusive messages, with over 12,000 recorded instances, highlighting the necessity of heightened scrutiny on player treatment in digital spaces. Gauff’s situation underlines these ongoing challenges, echoing concerns raised within the sport, as noted by Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and CBS News.