World · North America · 1 day ago
UN condemns racist abuse targeting tennis player Coco Gauff
The United Nations human rights office has condemned racist online abuse directed at American tennis player Coco Gauff.
Gauff said she received many racist comments after a controversial point in her China Open match against China’s Sun Xinran.
She lost to Elise Mertens two days later and said she had no energy and felt she might pass out.
The UN said Black female athletes are specifically targeted by racial abuse and called on players, coaches, sports bodies and fans to stand against it.
Gauff is a two-time Grand Slam champion and was ranked No.
4 in the world.
The abuse has renewed attention to racism and sexism in sport and the need for people in sport and its fans to challenge it.
Gauff withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Open, saying her body needed time to rest and recover after a long year.
The United Nations human rights office condemned racist online abuse directed at tennis player Coco Gauff.
The office said Black female athletes are specifically targeted by racial abuse and called for solidarity against racism and sexism.
Gauff said she received an “insane” amount of racist comments after a controversial point in her China Open match against Sun Xinran.
Gauff lost to Elise Mertens two days later and said she had “no energy” and felt as though she would pass out.
The Wuhan Open announced that Gauff had withdrawn from the upcoming tournament, quoting her as saying she needed time to rest and recover.
- Who
- The United Nations human rights office and tennis player Coco Gauff
- What
- The UN office condemned racist online abuse targeting Gauff and called for action against racism and sexism in sport.
- When
- Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Where
- Online; the triggering match was at the China Open
- Why
- Gauff received racist comments after a controversial point in her China Open match.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
appalling and illustrate that Black female athletes are specifically targeted for vitriol and racial abuse
There is no place in sport for racial or sexist slurs and abuse
After a long year, my body needs some time to rest and recover.
Gauff played Sun Xinran at the China Open, where a controversial point was followed by racist comments directed at her online.
Gauff lost to Elise Mertens and said she had no energy and felt as though she would pass out.
The Wuhan Open announced that Gauff had withdrawn from its upcoming tournament.
The UN human rights office condemned the racist abuse and called for solidarity against racism and sexism.
- Player
- Coco Gauff
- China Open opponent
- Sun Xinran
- Subsequent opponent
- Elise Mertens
- UN high commissioner
- Volker Türk
- Wuhan Open
- Gauff withdrew from the upcoming tournament; she was its defending champion.
Sources
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