Coco Gauff faces wave of racist messages after China Open win

Coco Gauff advanced to the round of 16 at the China Open by beating Chinese teenager Sun Xinran 7-5, 6-1. While serving at 4-5 in the first set, Gauff stopped the point after noticing a flickering side-panel light, then captured the next three points to level the set. She later posted on X that the interruption was beyond her control and apologized to Sun, who understood. The post attracted a large number of racist comments and direct messages, which Gauff called "insane" and denounced, stating she is neither a cheater nor a thief. She urged critics to express disagreement without resorting to racism.