The United Nations’ human rights office condemns racist and sexist abuse directed at tennis player Coco Gauff following an incident during her China Open match against Sun Xinran. Outlets report that the online messages follow Gauff’s on-court dispute, including her decision to correctly stop a point mid-rally, which some users interpreted as controversial.
The UN describes the abuse as “appalling,” and says it reflects a wider pattern of targeting Black female athletes with racial and gender-based vitriol. The office urges solidarity and collective action to counter racism and sexism in sport and online. Other reporting also points to a rise in abusive messages during 2025, citing WTA data. Gauff responds by distinguishing legitimate criticism from racism, and says abuse is not justified by disagreement over the match moment.
