Coco Gauff's victory over 16-year-old Chinese player Xin Xuan 7:5, 6:1 in the third round of the tournament in Beijing was overshadowed by a wave of online racist attacks against the American tennis player. The reason for the negative reactions was a controversial moment in the first set, related to a technical problem on the court.
In the first part, the young Xin Xuan showed excellent play and led 5:4 in the game. With the score at 15-15 on Goff's serve, the Chinese player placed the winning shot. However, the world number 4 immediately signaled to the chair umpire that a courtside LED advertising board had flashed just before her opponent's shot.
After a detailed review of the video replay, it was confirmed that the lights had changed during the service, leading to the point being replayed. This episode broke the rhythm of the young Sin, and the experienced Gauff took full advantage, winning 8 of the next 9 games to close out the match in 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Although the decision to replay was made by the refereeing team under the rules for interference during play, Gauff became the target of racist comments and insults on social media after the match. The American made it clear that while sports disputes are part of the game, nothing can justify racism and hatred directed at athletes online.
Apart from the tension on the court and the outbursts online, Gauff expressed great respect for Xin Xingzhuang's game. In a powerful statement after the match, the American emphasized the maturity of her 16-year-old opponent:
"I think she's a little more mature than I was at 16. I got a little more frustrated then. She's an incredible tennis player and I knew it was going to be a tough match. She's had a great career and I'm sure she'll do great at this level. This is the first of many matches we'll have against each other," Gauff commented.