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Coco Gauff felt like she was going to ‘pass out’ during shock defeat at China Open

Coco Gauff suffered an unexpected exit during the fourth round at the China Open, falling in straight sets to Elise Mertens by a score of 6-3 6-3. During the contest, the defending champion struggled mightily with unforced errors and exhaustion, remarking to her support staff that she felt as though she might faint and lacked the energy to properly track the ball.

The defeat capped off a difficult week for the American player, who faced a wave of online racist abuse following a previous victory against Sun Xinran after halting a rally due to distracting arena lights. Mertens advanced to the quarter-finals to meet Iga Swiatek, while Gauff prepares to defend her title at the upcoming tournament in Wuhan.

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