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Victoria Azarenka reacts to controversial incident in Coco Gauff’s last match, ‘I don’t think that makes it fair’

Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round of the 2026 China Open with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Sun Xinran, but the match became the center of a heated debate after a controversial replay call. During the first set, Gauff requested a video review following Xinran’s forehand winner, arguing that the LED screens on the court had distracted her.

Though the point was replayed and Gauff ultimately won it, the incident left the 16-year-old Xinran visibly shaken, and she never recovered in the match, marking her first WTA Tour main-draw loss (2-1 record). The decision sparked widespread criticism and online backlash toward Gauff, who faced heavy social media abuse for her request.

Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka has since defended Gauff, arguing that assigning ill intent to either player is unfair.

Azarenka noted that video replays are still a relatively new and inconsistently applied rule in tennis, leading to confusion for players and fans alike. She emphasized that Gauff’s call for a review was made in good faith and that the umpire’s role in managing such situations should be given more consideration.

Gauff will next face Elise Mertens in the round of 16, continuing her campaign at the tournament.

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