Coco Gauff faces racial abuse at China Open, UN Human Rights condemns attacks

The UN Human Rights office condemned the racist online abuse directed at Coco Gauff following a controversial point in her China Open win over Sun Xinran. Gauff called out the abuse, while the incident renewed calls for stronger action against racism and sexism in sport.Coco Gauff faces racial abuse at China Open, UN Human Rights condemns attacks. Courtesy: ReutersNew Delhi,Oct 10, 2026 20:26 ISTThe United Nations Human Rights office has condemned the racist online abuse directed at American tennis star Coco Gauff following a controversial incident during her China Open victory over China's Sun Xinran. The incident sparked a social media backlash against the two-time Grand Slam champion, who was targeted with racial slurs after a disputed point in the match.Gauff had stopped play during a crucial rally after raising her hand to complain about a flickering advertising board as Sun prepared to hit a winner. Following a video review, the chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed. Gauff subsequently won the match 7-5, 6-1, but the controversy continued online, prompting a wave of racist comments directed at the 21-year-old American.Also Read: Alexandra Eala avoids WTA penalty for choosing Asian Games over China Open: Here's whyThe UN Human Rights office issued a strong statement on Saturday, calling on the tennis community and sports organisations to stand against racism and sexism. “Racist messages such as those targeting tennis player Coco Gauff online are appalling and illustrate that Black female athletes are specifically targeted for vitriol and racial abuse,” it wrote on X. “There is no place in sport for racial or sexist slurs and abuse. Players, coaches, and sports bodies need to stand up for those facing such attacks and fans need to push back against those who sully sport with racism and sexism,” the statement added.BEYOND THE BASELINE, A FIGHT FOR RESPECTGauff also responded directly to the abuse, making it clear that disagreement over a sporting decision could never justify racism. “You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” she wrote on X in reply to a post containing a racial slur. The incident has once again highlighted the online hostility faced by Black women in elite sport. A study by the WTA and World Tennis found that players were subjected to more than 12,000 abusive social media posts and messages in 2025, compared with approximately 8,000 the previous year, underlining the scale of the problem.Gauff later acknowledged that the controversy had taken an emotional toll, leaving her drained. The abuse also renewed calls for stronger action from governing bodies, platforms and sporting communities to ensure that athletes are protected from discriminatory attacks, both on and off the court.Despite securing a convincing victory over Sun, Gauff's China Open campaign ended in the round of 16 on Wednesday, when she suffered a defeat to Elese Mertens. Her tournament therefore concluded earlier than she would have hoped, with the controversy and the subsequent online abuse casting a shadow over her performances in Beijing.- Ends