American tennis player Coco Gauff described experiencing racist abuse as "draining" following her elimination in the last 16 of the China Open. The 18-year-old, who is the tournament's third seed, faced a wave of online criticism after a disputed point during her match against Chinese teenager Sun Xinran earlier in the week.

The controversy arose when Sun, 16, believed she had secured a winning shot late in the first set. However, Gauff had raised her hand to halt play due to flickering lights on the court’s side panels. The point was replayed, and Gauff ultimately won the match. In response to the backlash, Gauff took to social media to denounce the "insane" volume of racist messages directed at her, firmly stating, "I’m not a cheater or a thief."

Gauff’s performance in her subsequent match against Belgian Elise Mertens was below her usual standard, as she committed eight double faults and 34 unforced errors in a 6-3, 6-3 defeat. Speaking to reporters in Beijing after the match, Gauff acknowledged the impact of the abuse on her state of mind but emphasized her efforts to cope. “It has been kind of draining, I’m not going to lie. I just turn off my phone and move on. There’s nothing you can do,” she said.

Reflecting on her play against Mertens, Gauff admitted that she felt "flat" and struggled with movement and overall execution during the match.

Mertens will advance to face the eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. Swiatek secured her place with a 6-1, 6-3 win over American Iva Jovic.