Coco Gauff opened up about the emotional toll that the wave of racist messages on social media took on her after she suffered a surprising defeat to Belgium's Elise Mertens at the China Open. The 22‑year‑old American, who entered the tournament as the defending champion, saw her momentum halted in the quarter‑finals, and the hostile online environment left her feeling "drained" and mentally fatigued. Mertens, who had been on a six‑match losing streak against Gauff, snapped that run with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 victory on Wednesday in Beijing.
The win propelled the Belgian into the quarter‑finals and marked a significant turnaround in her recent form. Gauff, who had been battling a series of unforced errors and a lack of physical energy, struggled to find her rhythm as the match progressed. During the second set, while trailing 6-3, 4-1, Gauff confided to 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 just going to try to finish the match." Her words underscored the physical and mental exhaustion she felt, a condition that was exacerbated by the flood of hateful comments she received after a controversial point in the previous round. The controversy stemmed from her encounter with 16‑year‑old Chinese wildcard Sun Xinran.
In that match, Gauff was serving to stay in the first set at 4‑5 when Sun appeared to have hit a winner. However, a sudden flicker of light on the side panels prompted Gauff to raise her hand and request a pause. The chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed. Gauff subsequently won the next three points, leveling the set at 5‑5, and eventually closed out the match after dropping only one more game.
When reporters in Beijing asked Gauff whether the online abuse 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." Gauff later took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to explain the situation, noting that the incident with Sun was "unfortunate" and beyond her control. She added, "Xinran is incredible talent and player, I apologised for the situation at the end of the match and she completely understood." The backlash continued when a user responded to Gauff's post 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." Statistically, the match was a tough day for Gauff.
She committed 34 unforced errors, while Mertens served with precision, winning 10 of her last 11 service points and sealing the win with a second ace. Mertens praised her opponent, saying, "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." Following the loss, Gauff withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Masters 1000 event, citing fatigue and the need for recovery after a grueling season. In her statement, she expressed disappointment: "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." Gauff remains a key member of the United States Billie Jean King Cup team, scheduled to compete against Hungary in Delray Beach on November 21‑22. Her presence on the international stage continues to be vital for the American squad.
Meanwhile, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who has struggled with consistency this year, advanced comfortably by defeating 18‑year‑old American Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-3.
Swiatek, a six‑time Grand Slam champion, will meet Mertens in her next round. Reflecting on her performance, Swiatek said, "I was using more of the chances that I got. I was more proactive, changing directions more instead of just being solid. 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." Swiatek also emphasized the mental aspect of tennis, noting that confidence from recent wins helps but each match still requires full preparation: "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." In other news from the Asian swing, Britain's rising star Arthur Fery caused an upset at the Shanghai Masters by defeating former Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic 7-6 (7-2), 6-1. Fery, who reached the Wimbledon semi‑finals earlier in the summer, will now face Karen Khachanov in the second round. The China Open and Shanghai Masters continue to draw global attention, with live streams available on platforms such as NOW and the Sky Sports app, allowing fans worldwide to follow the action without contractual restrictions.