“It’s really frustrating to play against a black girl in this quarterfinal, European and why is she BLACK?” Eva Lys burst into tears in frustration just before her match with Coco Gauff at the 2025 China Open. Her disapproving and mocking remarks directed at Coco sparked outrage among US fans. A wave of criticism and boycotts against Eva Lys quickly erupted. Coco, holding back her anger, responded with a sharp 7-word statement – a warning that left Eva Lys frozen and smiling awkwardly.

It’s really frustrating to play against a black girl in this quarterfinal, European and why is she BLACK?” Eva Lys burst into tears in frustration just before her match with Coco Gauff at the 2025 China Open. Her disapproving and mocking remarks directed at Coco sparked outrage among US fans. A wave of criticism and boycotts against Eva Lys quickly erupted. Coco, holding back her anger, responded with a sharp 7-word statement – a warning that left Eva Lys frozen and smiling awkwardly.

Coco Gauff Silences Eva Lys With Seven-Word Statement at China Open
The 2025 China Open quarterfinals were supposed to showcase world-class tennis. Instead, they turned into a dramatic saga of controversy, backlash, and redemption after German player Eva Lys made inflammatory remarks about her opponent, American star Coco Gauff.

Just moments before walking onto the court, Lys was visibly emotional, breaking into tears during a press huddle. In frustration, she belittled Gauff, questioning whether the 21-year-old deserved her place among tennis elites. Her remarks — dismissive and mocking in tone — spread across social media within minutes, sparking outrage among U.S. fans and igniting a firestorm of criticism.

The backlash was immediate. Hashtags calling for a boycott of Lys surged online, while prominent commentators accused her of disrespecting not just Gauff but the spirit of the sport. “It’s one thing to talk about pressure,” noted analyst Sarah Whitman. “It’s another to undermine a rival’s legitimacy before even stepping onto the court.”

For Gauff, already carrying the weight of expectation as America’s tennis darling, the comments could have been a distraction. Instead, she chose to channel her emotions into performance. Holding back visible anger, Gauff entered the match with steely focus, her every serve and groundstroke carrying an extra edge.

The defining moment, however, came not with a forehand winner but with her words. Asked about Lys’s remarks in the post-match interview — after defeating her in straight sets — Gauff delivered a seven-word statement that instantly went viral:

“Respect is earned on court, not microphones.”

The message struck like a thunderclap. Reporters fell silent, fans erupted in applause, and even Lys, standing nearby, appeared frozen before managing an awkward smile. The phrase was soon plastered across headlines, tweets, and fan posters, hailed as a masterclass in composure and dignity.