“Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Coco Gauff wrote on X in a post that landed hours after her 7-5, 6-1 win in Beijing.
“The amount of racist comments/dms I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
The abuse followed a flashpoint at 5-5 in the first set. With Sun poised to take the point, Gauff raised her hand to halt the rally and told the chair umpire that flickering electronic advertising boards on the court had distracted her. The umpire reviewed the footage, ordered the point replayed, and Gauff held serve. The home crowd booed.
Players at WTA events can request video reviews for a limited set of judgment calls, including distraction and interference.
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‘I apologized to Xinran’
Sun, who claimed the US Open junior title this year, broke down in tears after dropping the opening set. Gauff said she spoke with her teenage opponent at the net.
“Xinran is (an) incredible talent and player, I apologized for the situation at the end of the match and she completely understood,” Gauff wrote on Instagram.
“I did not like to see her so emotional as I’ve been there and I really understand what it is like but this is just the beginning of an incredible career.”
In an Instagram story addressing the broader backlash, Gauff said the stoppage had been outside her control.
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“It was an unfortunate situation, but it is out of my control. I think it’s weird I’m getting hate for following the rules.”
She also offered a public verdict on the teenager she had just beaten.
“I think she’s a little bit more mature than I was at 16,” Gauff told reporters afterwards. “I think I got a little bit more frustrated than she did. But she’s an incredible player.”
Mertens next in the last 16
Gauff’s round-of-16 tie in Beijing is against Elise Mertens, the No. 13 seed, whom Gauff has beaten in all five previous meetings on tour.
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