Coco Gauff has withdrawn from the Wuhan Open because she needs time to rest and recover. However, some fans are not fully convinced by her reason.

The World No. 4 decided to skip the Wuhan Open after a difficult few days at the China Open. During that time, Coco Gauff faced racist online abuse and also struggled physically during her match against Elise Mertens.

Gauff was the defending champion in Wuhan, so her withdrawal is a big development. The WTA 1000 event is one of the biggest tournaments outside the Grand Slams.

According to Ava Wallace of NY Times, Gauff had also played every WTA 1000 event since the tournaments became mandatory in 2024. Her decision will also affect her ranking. Gauff won 1,000 ranking points in Wuhan last year, and those points will now drop from her total.

Gauff's withdrawal came after she struggled during her China Open match against Mertens. The American lost the match 6-3, 6-3. During the second set, Gauff told her team that she had no energy. 

She said, “I have no energy. I’m trying, I have no energy. I can’t see the ball; I feel like I’m going to pass out. I’m going to just try to finish the match.”

Coco Gauff had also faced online abuse only two days earlier. The abuse came after her second-round win over China's Sun Xinran.

When The New York Times reported Gauff's Wuhan withdrawal, some fans questioned whether fatigue was the only reason.

Fans question Gauff's explanation

After The New York Times shared the update on X, some fans connected Gauff's withdrawal to the controversy from her match against Sun. Others questioned her comments about the online abuse.

One fan wrote, “She’s done well to deflect everyone away from her cheating.” 

The comment appears to refer to the controversy from Gauff's match against Sun Xinran. During that match, Gauff followed a tennis rule after the chair umpire made a hindrance call. The incident later brought criticism and racist abuse toward the American.

Another fan criticized Gauff and claimed that the media supported her side of the story. 

Another fan wrote, “Stop playing the victim card. She's the highest paid female athlete in pro sports, and she can't handle any criticism of her tennis, her immature antics, her unsportsmanlike behavior….”

The comment also included offensive and racist language.

One of the fans questioned the reports about the abuse. 

The fan wrote, “Dealt with racist online abuse. Shows no evidence of said abuse, nor the incredibly taxing process of dealing with it or what that entails. Peak NYT,” while challenging The New York Times' description of the situation.

Another fan connected the withdrawal to Gauff's recent performances. 

The fan wrote, “Seems like she always has an excuse every time she loses or plays like s***.” 

The comment came after Gauff's loss to Mertens, even though Gauff clearly told her team during the match that she felt physically unwell.

One more fan questioned the idea that Gauff rarely misses big tournaments. 

The fan wrote, “It’s not rare at all. Didn’t she sit out the US Open cuz she was sad? lol,”.

Gauff has made her decision based on her own condition. The defending champion said that her body needs time to rest and recover. Still, some fans remain unconvinced after The New York Times shared the news.

For Gauff, missing Wuhan also comes with a major ranking cost. She will lose the 1,000 points she earned by winning the tournament last year.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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