Coco Gauff cites online racist abuse as factor in China Open loss to Elise Mertens

The American star said the flood of hateful messages after a controversial review request left her exhausted ahead of her fourth‑round defeat.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:20:09 GMT

Coco Gauff, the world No.4, was defeated 6-3, 6-3 by Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the China Open fourth round on Wednesday in Beijing, saying online racist abuse drained her energy.

What happened

Gauff entered the match after a 7-5, 6-1 win over 16‑year‑old Chinese player Sun Xinran, during which she asked for a video review of a point because of flickering LED lights on the stadium’s advertising hoardings. The request drew boos from the crowd, but the umpire granted a replay and Gauff advanced.

In the subsequent match against Mertens, Gauff served four double faults, made eight double faults in total and committed 34 unforced errors, leading to her exit from the tournament.

What the reports add

According to the New York Post, Gauff told her camp during the match that she felt she had no energy and feared she might pass out, describing the situation as a “funk.” The outlet also noted she received an “insane” amount of racist comments on social media after the Sun Xinran match.

Al Jazeera reported that Gauff described the online abuse as “draining,” adding that she turned off her phone after the loss and felt there was nothing she could do about the comments.

What was said

Gauff told reporters, as cited by the New York Post, “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.” She later said, “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.” Al Jazeera quoted the same remarks, emphasizing the exhaustion caused by the racist abuse.

How it came about

The incident follows a series of high‑profile moments at the 2026 China Open, including Elena Rybakina’s second‑round upset on October 3, Novak Djokovic’s title win on October 7, and a series of injuries and a disqualification that dominated coverage earlier in the week. Felo News previously reported on those events (Rybakina upset, injury crisis), providing context for the tournament’s turbulent atmosphere.

Key facts

Coco Gauff lost to Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-3 in the China Open fourth round. (nypost.com)
Gauff served eight double faults and made 34 unforced errors in the match. (aljazeera.com)
She said online racist abuse left her feeling drained and turned off her phone after the loss. (aljazeera.com)
During her previous match, Gauff requested a video review over flickering LED lights, prompting boos from the crowd. (aljazeera.com)