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“A Proud Black Woman” – Boris Becker, Martina Navratilova & Victoria Azarenka Support Coco Gauff After China Open Drama Evokes Racism Row

Coco Gauff faced a storm of online criticism and racist backlash after a contentious moment during her China Open match against 16-year-old Sun Xinran. Serving at 4-5 in the first set, Gauff paused play when an LED screen flickered, leading to a replayed point that she won.

Though she ultimately defeated Xinran 7-5, 6-1, the incident sparked accusations of deliberate disruption, compounded by a surge of racist messages on social media. Gauff responded by condemning the abuse, insisting she was neither a cheater nor a thief.

The controversy drew swift support from tennis legends, including Boris Becker, who praised her resilience and urged her to ignore detractors. Becker called Gauff 'a proud Black woman' and emphasized her uniqueness on and off the court.

Victoria Azarenka also weighed in, highlighting inconsistencies in video review rules as a potential cause of confusion, while Martina Navratilova dismissed critics as ignorant, reaffirming Gauff’s reputation as a fair and talented competitor. The American will now face Elise Mertens in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

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