Coco Gauff, the 2024 China Open champion, was defeated in the fourth round by Elise Mertens, marking her first loss to Mertens in six meetings. Gauff lost 6-3 6-3 in Beijing, her first straight-set defeat since February.
During the match, Gauff told her support team, "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." She also recorded 34 unforced errors, including eight double faults.
Gauff stated after the match that the preceding days had been "kind of draining" due to racist online abuse she received. This abuse followed her win over Sun Xinran in the previous round, where Gauff stopped a point mid-rally due to flickering advertising lights. She later posted an explanation for her action and addressed the racist comments online.
Elise Mertens, the 13th seed, will now face eighth seed and 2023 champion Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. Gauff is scheduled to play next at another WTA 1000 event in Wuhan, where she is the reigning champion.