Coco Gauff opens WTA Finals in Indian Wells after racist abuse and Wuhan withdrawal
The gist
American tennis player Coco Gauff begins her WTA Finals campaign against Jessica Pegula in Indian Wells.
She returns weeks after racist abuse and a fatigue withdrawal in China.
How it unfolded
- Oct 5, 2026Gauff beat local teenager Sun Xinran 7-5, 6-1 at the China Open in Beijing; a replayed point in the match set off an online backlash.
- Oct 6, 2026Gauff said she received an "insane" amount of racist comments and direct messages, writing "I'm not a cheater or a thief."
- Oct 7, 2026Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to 19th-ranked Elise Mertens, her first loss to Mertens after five wins, and said she had "no energy."
Key terms
- WTA Finals
- The season-ending championship of the women's professional tennis tour, featuring the year's top singles players and doubles teams.
- Grand Slam
- In tennis, winning all four major championships in one discipline within a single calendar year.
- round-robin
- A competition format in which each contestant meets every other participant, usually in turn.
Source: Wikipedia