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“Really Disturbing” – Chris Evert Speaks Out In Defense Of Coco Gauff Amid China Open Controversy

Coco Gauff faced intense backlash after her third-round victory over Xinran Sun at the China Open, where she successfully contested a point replay due to distracting commercials during a tight 5-4, 15-15 moment in the first set. Despite the replay being a legitimate call under tournament rules, Gauff was widely criticized online for allegedly exploiting the situation, with some comments escalating into racist abuse.

The 18-year-old American later addressed the controversy, clarifying that players are permitted to challenge hindrances and emphasizing that she had apologized to Sun afterward, who reportedly understood the circumstances. Gauff’s defense received support from tennis legend Chris Evert, who condemned the unfair attacks on the young player, calling the backlash ‘really disturbing’ and praising her character.

The controversy continued as Gauff lost in straight sets to Elise Mertens in the following round, though she acknowledged the mental toll of the online harassment, stating it had been ‘draining’ but that she chose to move forward. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has since condemned the abuse directed at Gauff and announced plans to address the issue.

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