Coco Gauff’s China Open campaign ended Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Elise Mertens, ending the American’s run in Beijing after a difficult stretch on and off the court.
The defeat came days after Gauff faced racist abuse online following her Round of 32 victory over China’s Sun Xinran. The backlash followed a disputed point involving flickering advertising lights during the match.
Gauff later described the online attacks as emotionally draining and said she turned off her phone to avoid the messages. After her loss to Mertens, she also announced her withdrawal from the Wuhan Open to prioritize rest and recovery.
Gauff struggled against Mertens in Beijing
Mertens ended Gauff’s China Open run in the fourth round, producing her first career victory over the American after losing their previous 5 meetings. The Belgian 13th seed advanced to the quarterfinals with a controlled straight-sets performance.
Gauff, the No. 3 seed at the tournament, never found her usual rhythm. The 22-year-old committed 34 unforced errors and 8 double faults, numbers that reflected a difficult afternoon against an opponent who consistently pressured her into extended rallies.
Mertens also handled the important points better. She won 10 of her final 11 service points and closed out the match with her second ace, ending Gauff’s run at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing.
The loss followed a difficult online backlash
The defeat came only a day after Gauff publicly addressed a wave of racist messages directed toward her on social media. The backlash followed her Round of 32 victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran at the China Open.
During that match, Gauff stopped play after noticing flickering lights from electronic advertising boards around the court. The chair umpire agreed to replay the point, and Gauff eventually defeated Sun 7-5, 6-1.
The decision generated criticism online, including racist attacks. Gauff responded that people could disagree with her without resorting to racism and said the volume of abusive messages she received had been “insane.”
Gauff said the abuse was emotionally draining
After losing to Mertens, Gauff acknowledged that the online reaction had affected her emotionally. She described the experience as “kind of draining” and said she had chosen to turn off her phone rather than continue engaging with the messages.
Gauff also resisted blaming the defeat entirely on what happened online. She said she simply did not play well against Mertens and felt that her movement and overall performance were below her normal level during the match.
At one stage, Gauff told her support team that she had no energy and felt as though she might pass out. She nevertheless finished the match, while repeatedly acknowledging that Mertens had played the bigger points better.
The disputed point became the tournament’s backdrop
The controversy began late in the first set against Sun. Gauff raised her hand to stop the rally after noticing the advertising display flickering, and the umpire ultimately ruled that the point should be replayed.
Gauff later clarified that she had raised the issue before Sun returned the ball. She also apologized to Sun after the match, while explaining that the visual distraction had affected her ability to continue the point normally.
The episode became much larger online than the match itself. Gauff’s criticism was not limited to ordinary disagreement about a tennis decision, as she specifically addressed the racist nature of some of the messages sent to her.
The WTA backed Gauff after the abuse
The Women’s Tennis Association publicly condemned the racist abuse aimed at Gauff. A WTA spokesperson said the organization was appalled by the attacks and was in contact with the player to offer its support.
That response came as Gauff prepared for her next match in Beijing. She returned to competition against Mertens in the fourth round, two days after defeating Sun Xinran in the Round of 32.
Gauff ultimately struggled to produce the level needed to advance. Her 34 unforced errors and 8 double faults gave Mertens too many opportunities, while the Belgian maintained enough composure to secure her first win over Gauff.
Mertens finally broke through against Gauff
The result was especially notable because Mertens had entered the match 0-5 against Gauff. Their previous meetings had included several competitive battles, including a 2026 Dubai encounter in which Mertens held 3 match points before Gauff escaped.
Their first meeting also came with Mertens in control early. She led the then-17-year-old Gauff 6-0, 3-1 at Eastbourne in 2021 before Gauff recovered to win the match in three sets.
This time, Mertens avoided another comeback. She stayed composed, protected her service games late and earned a quarterfinal place against Iga Swiatek, extending her Beijing run beyond anything she had previously achieved there.
Fun fact: Coco Gauff took up boxing during the offseason to improve her balance, footwork and mental toughness.
Gauff will skip the Wuhan Open
Gauff’s next scheduled tournament was the Wuhan Open, where she entered as the defending champion. However, she announced on Wednesday that she would withdraw from the event, saying her body needed time to rest and recover after a long season.
The decision means Gauff will not defend the Wuhan title she won last year without dropping a set. Her withdrawal also gives her an opportunity to step away from competition following the emotionally difficult Beijing episode and the physical fatigue she described.
Gauff’s decision was not presented as a direct consequence of the racist abuse alone. Her public explanation focused on the length of the season and her need for recovery, while her comments after the Mertens match separately acknowledged the emotional toll of the online attacks.
Gauff’s career remains defined by resilience
Despite the Beijing setback, Gauff remains one of the leading players in women’s tennis. She won her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final at age 19.
She also won the China Open in 2024, making her current Beijing exit notable because the tournament has historically been one of her strongest events. The WTA identifies her as the 2024 champion in its official tournament information.
For now, Gauff’s focus shifts away from the court. After a disappointing loss and several days of unwanted online attention, the American has chosen rest over another tournament appearance, giving herself time to recover before returning to competition.
TL;DR
- Coco Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Elise Mertens in the China Open fourth round.
- Gauff said racist online abuse following her previous match had been emotionally draining.
- The backlash followed a disputed replayed point involving flickering advertising lights.
- The WTA condemned the racist attacks and offered Gauff its support.
- Gauff withdrew from the Wuhan Open, citing the need for rest and recovery.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
