Coco Gauff's 2026 China Open campaign came to an abrupt end after Elise Mertens beat her 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round of WTA action in Beijing. The No. 13 seed had never topped Gauff in five prior meetings, but the Belgian flipped the script on Wednesday in one of the more shocking upsets of the Asian Swing tournament.
Gauff Struggles on Serve at 2026 China Open
Gauff's troubles started early when she gave up a break in the first set and struggled to recover as Mertens rattled off a six-game run to pull away.
She was down 4-1 in the second, racking up eight double faults and 34 unforced errors to make a comeback all but impossible. During the match, Gauff could be heard telling her team something was wrong.
"I have no energy. I'm trying, I have no energy," Gauff said to her camp. "I can't see the ball, I feel like I'm going to pass out."
Still, she opted to finish the match rather than retire.
Racist Abuse in Beijing 'Drains' US Tennis Star
The loss capped a turbulent stretch in Beijing for Gauff.
After a disputed point against Chinese treenager Sun Xinran in the previous round where electronic ad boards flickered mid-rally and the chair umpire ordered a replay, Gauff was flooded with racist messages online. The abuse became so overwhelming, the US tennis star took to social media to address it.
"It has been kind of draining, I'm not going to lie," Gauff told reporters after the match. "I just turn off my phone and move on. There's nothing you can do."
Gauff will look to rebound in Wuhan, where she'll defend her 2025 title. Mertens, meanwhile, advances to the WTA 1000-level event's quarterfinals in Beijing.
