“How dare you?” – Andrea Petkovic brutally calls out racist attacks on Coco Gauff, slams WTA for refusing official support

Former tennis player Andrea Petkovic has defended Coco Gauff following racist abuse directed at the American online after the China Open. Gauff faced backlash after pausing a rally during her match against Sun Xinran due to flickering side-panel lights. Speaking on The Big T podcast, Petkovic strongly criticized the online abusers and voiced frustration with the WTA for not issuing an official statement to clarify the rules and back the player.

Former coach Brad Gilbert also expressed his agreement on the podcast, maintaining that Gauff acted completely within the sport's rules. Gilbert joined Petkovic in expressing disappointment that governing tennis tours did not release a statement explaining the regulations to the public. Tennis figures including Chris Evert and Boris Becker have also voiced their support for Gauff.