The world No. 4 was already fighting a physical battle she was losing. Then she had to fight a different one — and it nearly broke her.
Coco Gauff’s Asian swing is over. The American world No. 4 was eliminated from the China Open in the fourth round on Wednesday, losing 6-3, 6-3 to Belgium’s Elise Mertens in a performance she later described as “flat” and devoid of energy. Hours later, she withdrew from the Wuhan Open — a tournament she won last year — citing fatigue and the need for her body to recover.
But the results are not the story. The story is why she was so drained in the first place. And that story began three days earlier, with a single point, a flickering light, and a wave of racist abuse that no athlete should ever have to endure.
The Incident: A Point Replayed, A Crowd Booing
It happened in Gauff’s third-round match against 16-year-old Chinese wildcard Sun Xinran on Monday. Late in the first set, Sun appeared to have hit a winner. But Gauff raised her hand to stop play, telling the umpire she had been distracted by a flickering light on the advertising hoardings surrounding the court.
The move drew boos from the crowd. The umpire reviewed the footage and agreed the point should be replayed. Gauff won the replay, held serve, and went on to win the match 7-5, 6-1.
Gauff later clarified that she had challenged the point before Sun had returned the ball, when she noticed the lights flicker for a second time. It was a legitimate call, one that players are allowed to make. But the controversy had already been lit. And by Tuesday morning, Gauff’s social media notifications had become a torrent of abuse.
“I’m Not a Cheater or a Thief”
At almost 4 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Gauff posted a lengthy statement on X explaining what had happened and why she had been correct to stop the point. Then she addressed the abuse directly.
“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” she wrote. “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 post was a response to an account that had directed a racial slur at her. It was not the first time Gauff has had to confront racism on social media — and it will not be the last. But this time, the abuse came alongside a gruelling physical schedule that had already pushed her to her limits.
The Toll: “I Feel Like I’m Going to Pass Out”
By the time Gauff stepped onto the court against Mertens on Wednesday, she was running on empty. The numbers tell part of the story: eight double faults, 34 unforced errors, a first straight-sets defeat since February.
The broadcast told a more harrowing one. Trailing 6-3, 4-1, Gauff could be heard telling her team: “I have no energy. I’m trying, I have no energy. I can’t see the ball, I feel like I’m going to pass out. I’m going to just try to finish the match”.
After the match, she was candid about the impact of the online abuse. “It has been kind of draining, I’m not going to lie,” she said. “I just turn off my phone and move on. There’s nothing you can do”.
She also acknowledged that her performance had been affected by more than just the abuse. “I think today I was just a bit flat,” she said. “I just didn’t play well. I think I wasn’t moving well. There were a lot of things I didn’t do well”.
The Withdrawal: Wuhan and the End of the Asian Swing
Gauff’s withdrawal from Wuhan was announced hours after her exit in Beijing. The WTA 1000 tournament, which she won in 2024, was her last scheduled event of the Asian hardcourt swing. In a statement, she said:
“I’m disappointed to withdraw from Wuhan, especially as the defending champion. I always love playing there. After a long year, my body needs some time to rest and recover. I look forward to returning next year”.
The withdrawal is a significant blow for a tournament that has struggled to attract top talent in recent years. But for Gauff, it is a necessary act of self-preservation. The 22-year-old has played more tennis than almost anyone on tour this season, and the combination of physical exhaustion and the emotional toll of racist abuse left her with no choice but to step away.
The WTA’s Response: “No Place for Racism”
The Women’s Tennis Association issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the abuse directed at Gauff.
“We are appalled by the racial abuse directed at Coco Gauff and are in contact with her to offer our full support,” a spokesperson said. “There is no place for racism, discrimination, or abuse in tennis”.
The WTA added that it was “seeking action” against the abusive content. It is not clear what form that action will take, or whether any of the accounts responsible will be held accountable. Social media platforms have long struggled to police racist abuse directed at athletes, and tennis has been one of the sports most affected by it.
What Comes Next
Gauff will now return home to rest and recover. She has not announced when she will return to competition, but her withdrawal from Wuhan means her season is effectively over. The WTA Finals in Riyadh — which she had been in contention to qualify for — will now likely take place without her.
For Gauff, the priority is recuperation: physical, mental, and emotional. She is 22 years old. She has won two Grand Slam titles, reached the final of another, and spent years as one of the most prominent Black athletes in a predominantly white sport. She has dealt with racism before. She will have to deal with it again.
But she should not have to deal with it while her body is screaming at her to stop. And the fact that she had to — that a flickering light and a replayed point became the catalyst for a torrent of abuse — is a reminder of how far the sport still has to go.
“It has been kind of draining,” Gauff said. It was, perhaps, the understatement of the week.
Coco Gauff did not lose in Beijing because she was a cheater. She lost because she was exhausted — by a schedule that never lets up, by a body that gave out, and by a world that refused to let her simply play tennis.
