Ankara:Coco Gauff has revealed she received a significant amount of racist abuse following a disputed point during her victory against Chinese teenager Sun Xinran at the China Open.

According to Anadolu Agency, the incident took place late in the first set of the third-round match when Gauff, a Black American tennis player, paused the game due to flickering electronic advertising boards beside the court. Although Sun appeared to have control of the point, the chair umpire decided the point should be replayed. Gauff went on to win the match 7-5, 6-1, advancing to the last 16, a decision that sparked criticism and accusations of cheating on social media.

Gauff addressed the situation on the US social media platform X, stating that while people could disagree with what happened, the racist comments she received were unacceptable. She clarified, "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."

The 22-year-old, a two-time Grand Slam champion and world No. 4, mentioned she had apologized to Sun after the match. She praised Sun as an "incredible talent and player" and noted that Sun understood the situation.

Sun, who is 16 years old, was playing in her first WTA Tour event thanks to a wild card from the tournament organizers. Gauff expressed understanding and empathy for the young player's emotional response, acknowledging the pressure of competing on a major stage at such a young age. She described the match as "an honor to share the court in front of her home crowd," and supported Sun's potential for a promising career ahead.