World number four Coco Gauff crashed out of the China Open in Beijing following a straight-sets defeat to Belgium's Elise Mertens, losing 6-3, 6-3. The American player delivered an uncharacteristically listless performance on the court, committing eight double faults and struggling to find her rhythm throughout the match.

The loss came just a day after Gauff publicly called out what she described as an 'insane' volume of online racist abuse directed at her following a contentious previous-round victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran. During that match, Gauff's request for a video review due to flickering stadium LED lights drew boos from the crowd, subsequently triggering a wave of toxic and racist commentary across social media platforms.

Speaking to reporters after her elimination, Gauff admitted that the relentless online negativity had left her feeling thoroughly drained, noting that her only defense is to switch off her phone and move on. Meanwhile, officials from the Women's Tennis Association claimed they were appalled by the racial abuse and purported to be in contact with the player to offer support, asserting that discrimination has no place in the sport.

Following her victory, Mertens advanced to set up a quarterfinal clash against Iga Swiatek. The tournament in Beijing continues to feature various high-profile international matchups despite the ongoing controversies surrounding player welfare and online security.

Source: www.aljazeera.com