Coco Gauff opened up about the emotional toll that the wave of racist messages on social media took on her after she suffered an unexpected defeat to Elise Mertens at the China Open, a tournament that also saw Iga Świątek advance to the quarter‑finals. The Belgian veteran, Mertens, snapped a six‑match losing streak against Gauff by winning in straight sets, 6‑3 6‑3, and secured her place in the Beijing quarter‑finals on Wednesday. The loss came on the heels of a particularly harsh period for Gauff online.

After a contentious point in the previous round, the American star was bombarded with what she described as an "insane" volume of racist remarks on various platforms. The barrage of hateful comments seemed to sap her energy and focus, which she later admitted when she spoke to the press box during the match.

"I have no energy," Gauff told her team while trailing 6‑3, 4‑1. "I'm trying, I have no energy.

I can't see the ball, I feel like I'm going to pass out. I'm just going to try to finish the match." The incident that sparked the online vitriol began during Gauff's encounter with 16‑year‑old Chinese wildcard Sun Xinran on Tuesday.

Gauff was serving to stay in the opening set at 4‑5 when Sun appeared to have struck a winning shot. However, Gauff raised her hand to halt the point because a light on the side of the court was flickering, creating a visual distraction.

The chair umpire ruled that the point had to be replayed. Gauff then rallied, taking the next three points to bring the score to 5‑5 and eventually losing the set by a single game.

Despite a strong track record in China, Gauff admitted that the online abuse left her feeling "drained". When reporters in Beijing asked whether the hateful messages had impacted her performance, she responded candidly: "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. I think today I was just a bit flat. I just didn't play well.

I think I wasn't moving well. There were a lot of things I didn't do well." She later addressed the controversy on the social media platform X, explaining that the situation was unfortunate and beyond her control. "Xinran is an incredible talent and player," Gauff wrote, adding that she had apologized for the confusion at the end of the match and that Sun fully understood.

When a follower replied with a racist slur, Gauff replied firmly: "Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist. 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." On the court, Gauff's performance was uncharacteristically flat. She accumulated 34 unforced errors, struggled to find her rhythm, and was unable to execute the aggressive baseline play that usually defines her game.

Mertens, on the other hand, displayed composure, winning 10 of her last 11 service points and sealing the match with a second ace. After the win, Mertens praised her opponent but also highlighted her own motivation: "She's an incredible player, of course.

I knew it was going to be a very tough match. But I had motivation. My coach/boyfriend, it's his birthday tomorrow.

So this win is dedicated to him and all the work we do." Meanwhile, the tournament continued with Iga Świątek delivering a dominant performance, breaking Iva Jović's serve twice in the final four games to defeat the 18‑year‑old American 6‑1 6‑3. The six‑time Grand Slam champion, who has faced some inconsistency this season, will meet Mertens in the next round. Świątek reflected on her recent form, saying, "For sure (today), I was using more of the chances that I got.

I was more proactive. Maybe changing the directions more instead of just being solid, more intense. When I needed that, I could play long rallies and be in defence, as well. Everything was working today.

I feel like my game has improved." She added, "Obviously sometimes playing the tournament is a bit tricky. Not everything is depending on you. I believe what I'm doing makes sense moving forward. That gives me the most confidence.

For sure when you have great results on a match, it's always a good boost of confidence. But tennis is tough.

You need to be ready for every match. Your previous results are not going to give you anything. I'm going to push no matter what and we'll see how it goes." The episode underscores the growing concern over the impact of social‑media abuse on athletes, especially young women of color who often become targets of hateful commentary. Gauff's decision to mute her phone and focus on the next match reflects a coping strategy many players adopt, yet it also highlights the need for stronger platform policies and support systems within the sport.

Fans can continue to follow the action live on NOW and the Sky Sports App, where the WTA/ATP China Open and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters are streamed without a contract. The tournaments promise more high‑stakes matchups as the season progresses, but the conversation around player welfare and online harassment is likely to remain a prominent backdrop to the on‑court drama.