Swiatek Cruises to Beijing QF as Gauff Exits Drained by Racist Abuse

Iga Swiatek kept her Beijing campaign rolling with a sharp 6-1, 6-3 dismissal of 18-year-old Iva Jovic at the China Open on Wednesday. The day's bigger story, though, belonged to Coco Gauff — and not for the right reasons.

Swiatek Locks In, Moves to the Last Eight

The six-time Grand Slam champion was clinical from the jump, breaking Jovic's serve twice in the final four games to close out a comfortable victory. It was the kind of controlled, decisive tennis that has defined Swiatek's best tennis, and she acknowledged afterward that her game is clicking at the right time.

"I was more proactive. Maybe changing directions more instead of just being solid — more intense," Swiatek said, according to Sky Sports. "Everything was working today."

The numbers back it up. Swiatek has now won 126 of 128 WTA 1000 matches in which she claimed the opening set — a staggering conversion rate that underlines just how dangerous she is once she gets ahead. She showed similar grit earlier this summer before a run of uneven results raised questions about her form.

"I feel like my game has improved," she added. "I'm going to push no matter what and we'll see how it goes."

Next up for Swiatek is Elise Mertens, who pulled off one of the week's bigger upsets.

Mertens Stuns Defending Champion Gauff

Mertens snapped a five-match losing skid against Gauff with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 victory that ended the American's title defense in the fourth round. Gauff racked up 34 unforced errors and looked far from her best, and there was an obvious reason why.

The 2024 Beijing champion had spent the previous 24 hours dealing with a flood of racist messages on social media — fallout from a controversial moment in her third-round win over 16-year-old home favorite Sun Xinran. With Gauff serving at 4-5 in the first set, she raised her hand to stop play because of a flickering courtside light. Sun believed she had struck a winner, but the point was replayed, and Gauff went on to hold and eventually win the match.

The incident triggered a social media storm. Gauff took to X to explain herself and call out the abuse directly.

"You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist," she wrote. "The amount of racist comments/DMs I've received in the last few hours is insane."

By match time against Mertens, the toll was visible. Gauff told her coaching box mid-match that she had "no energy" and felt like she was going to pass out. Post-match, she was candid without making excuses.

"It has been kind of draining, I'm not going to lie," Gauff said. "I just turn off my phone and move on. There's nothing you can do."

Gauff Withdraws From Wuhan

The fallout didn't stop at the loss. Gauff subsequently pulled out of the Wuhan Masters 1000, where she is the defending champion, citing fatigue after a long season.

"My body needs some time to rest and recover," she said in a statement. "I look forward to returning next year."

It's a tough blow for a player who has been one of the sport's best in China over recent years. Swiatek herself knows what it's like to navigate pressure at high-stakes events, and faces her own test against a suddenly confident Mertens in the quarters.

Gauff is expected to be back in action for the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs in November, where the U.S. faces Hungary in Delray Beach on November 21-22.

Fery Makes Noise in Shanghai

Elsewhere in the tennis world, British No. 1 Arthur Fery continued his impressive rise by defeating former US Open champion Marin Cilic 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 at the Shanghai Masters. The Wimbledon semifinalist will next face Karen Khachanov.

Back in Beijing, Swiatek vs. Mertens shapes up as a fascinating quarter-final clash — one focused on momentum for the Pole, and fairy-tale form for the Belgian.

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