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At the China Open, American tennis player Coco Gauff faced racial abuse on social media after a controversial match where she requested a replay during her Round of 32 victory over Sun Xinran due to flickering LED boards. Gauff won the match 7-6, 6-1, but some fans were upset by her decision to request a review, leading to racist comments directed at her on X (formerly Twitter). In response, Gauff addressed the criticism on social media, defending herself against accusations of cheating and emphasizing that she was following the rules.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At the China Open tennis tournament, American star Coco Gauff faced racial abuse on social media after asking for a replay during her Round of 32 match against rising Chinese player Sun Xinran. During the rally, the LED lights on the court flickered, leading Gauff to request a review. Despite winning the point and eventually the match in straight sets with scores of 7-6 and 6-1, Gauff's decision sparked controversy among some fans. In response to racist comments, she posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating that people could disagree without resorting to racism or accusing her of cheating.
Written for “Tennis Controversy Race Abuse” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 58642 · logged 2026-10-05
Controversy at the China Open has led to American tennis star Coco Gauff facing racially abusive language on social media following her Round of 32 victory over rising star Sun Xinran.
asserted
Gauff → lead → Xinran
Gauff’s victory came with a mountain of controversy after she asked to replay a point when the LED boards on the side of the court flickered during the rally.
asserted
boards → come → rally
Some people on social media sent her racist messages after the match, prompting her to respond.
asserted
people → send → her
“Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” she wrote on X in response to one vulgar post that used a racial epithet.
asserted
that → dislike → epithet
“The amount of racist comments/DMs I’ve received in the last few hours is insane.
asserted
I → receive → hours
Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
The American trailed 5-4 in the set, and Xinran looked as though she was about to win the point to take a lead in the game when Gauff raised her arm.
asserted
Gauff → trail → arm
The chair umpire ruled in Gauff’s favor after a video review.
asserted
umpire → rule → review
The World No. 4 went on to win the point as Xinran completely collapsed and lost in straight sets, 7-6, 6-1.
asserted
Xinran → go → sets
But Gauff’s decision had angered some fans, especially after broadcasters appeared to notice that the LED boards had been flickering before and Gauff played through it.
asserted
Gauff → anger → it
Gauff wrote a detailed response to the criticism toward her in an Instagram comment, starting off by saying that she had seen the LED boards flickering to start the point but “was not sure if that is what I actually saw.”
asserted
I → write → what
“We are told before the matches we are allowed to continue to finish play so KEEP IT MIND I am thinking about all of this while i’m playing the point.,” Gauff wrote.
asserted
Gauff → tell → point
“Anything can be challenged after the point is over (as in most sports you can review a call after the play is over, I personally think is the correct rule).
asserted
I → challenge → call
If I would’ve lost the point my opponent is also free to do the same thing and ask for a replay and she would’ve have been completely in her right to do so.”
asserted
she → lose → right
She continued on in the comment, “when it flickered again I raised my hands before she hit her shot because this is when I was sure I saw the light flicker and it wasn’t my mind doing tricks lol (which again doesn’t matter because anything can be challenged after the point).”
asserted
anything → continue → point
Gauff did praise Xinran, who won the junior U.S. Open in September, and again pushed back on the narrative that was developing around her win.
asserted
that → praise → win
“It was an unfortunate situation but it is out of my control, the think pieces and calling me an unfair is ridiculous when those are the rules,” she wrote.
asserted
she → call → me
“I did not make them, I think it’s weird i’m getting hate for following the rules.
asserted
i → make → rules
Xinran is incredible talent and player, I apologized for the situation at the end of the match and she completely understood.
asserted
she → apologize → match
I did not like to see her so emotional as l’ve been there and I really understand what it is like but this is just the beginning of an incredible career.
asserted
this → like → career
It was an honor to share the court in front of her home crowd.”
asserted
It → share → crowd
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