Coco Gauff Exits China Open Amid Health Concerns After Racism Storm

Coco Gauff's run at the China Open came to an end in the third round with a straight-sets defeat to 13th seed Elise Mertens. The American player cited health concerns during the match, stating she felt low on energy and that her vision was impaired, telling her team, "I can't see the ball, I feel like I'm going to pass out."

The loss followed a contentious third-round match against 16-year-old Sun Xinran, which Gauff won but later became embroiled in controversy. Gauff requested a point replay, citing a distraction from flickering electronic advertising boards. This decision led to her facing accusations of cheating and subsequent racist abuse on social media.

In a statement addressing the controversy, Gauff clarified her actions, explaining the rules allowed for a challenge after a point and that she had seen the flicker on the court's advertising boards. She emphasized that she followed the rules and apologized to her opponent for the situation, acknowledging Sun's talent and the beginning of her career.

Gauff also directly addressed the racist comments she received, stating, "You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist." She highlighted the significant amount of racist messages she had received, asserting that she is "not a cheater or a thief." Her comments were amplified after responding to a user who had posted hateful messages.

The abuse prompted an outpouring of support from fans, and some of the offending content on the social media platform was later restricted for violating rules against hateful conduct.

During her match against Mertens, Gauff's game unraveled after being level at 4-3 in the first set. She lost the next six games and was unable to recover, ultimately falling 6-3, 6-3. This marked Gauff's first straight-sets loss since February.