FLUSHING MEADOWS, Sept 3 — Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen faced a barrage of racist insults during her US Open match against Donna Vekic on Monday that was captured by courtside microphones and video footage, sparking outrage on Chinese social media after spectators hurled racial slurs including the derogatory term ‘yellow banana’.

Zheng, who claimed Olympic gold by defeating Vekic in Paris last month, was trailing 3-2 and down 40-30 in the second set when an observer shouted what sounded like “yellow banana, yellow” as she prepared to serve, according to a report published in South China Morning Post today.

The slur, previously directed at other Chinese athletes, was caught by courtside microphones during Zheng’s 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 victory in the round of 16.

The incident was captured on video, which quickly spread across Chinese social media, with users expressing their anger and frustration over the racist treatment.

The hashtag related to the abuse became a trending topic on Weibo, amassing over 1.65 million views before it was removed from the platform.

Video footage shows that the phrase was first heard when Zheng was leading 30-15 in the third game of the second set.

After winning the point, Zheng looked up at the stands and said, “I will beat you.”

The footage also shows Zheng’s coach, Pere Riba, reacting to the noise from the crowd, though it is unclear if he heard the racist remark as it was not picked up by the microphones.

Zheng, who remained focused throughout the match, defeated Vekic in a hard-fought three-set victory.

Approximately one hour and 38 minutes into the match, as Zheng was preparing to serve, the chant “yellow banana, yellow” was audible again, prompting another reaction from Riba.

Many users on Weibo praised Zheng for maintaining focus during the nearly three-hour match.

However, some comments were filled with racial insults aimed at white people, including terms like “white pig” and “white trash,” which have since been censored by Chinese social media platforms known for removing offensive content.

On X, some speculated that the individual responsible might have been a man of Asian appearance seated in the front row.

This man was seen on camera interrupting Zheng’s serves on two occasions when he moved from his seat.

The first incident occurred as Vekic led 2-0 in the second set, and the second incident happened shortly before the racial abuse was heard.

Zheng appeared frustrated and stood with her hands on her hips while waiting for the man to sit down.

The man was not visible in the crowd when Zheng and Vekic returned for the third set.

Zheng did not mention the incident during her on-court interview but described the match as an “unbelievable” experience.

The match, which concluded at 2.15am in New York, was the latest finish ever for a game at the US Open.

Zheng expressed gratitude to fans for their support, saying, “Thanks to the fans who are not sleeping tonight and support me here.”

She acknowledged the challenge posed by Vekic, noting, “She’s really tough to play on hard court. I feel today she would [give me] a lot of pressure. In the French Open, I was totally in control, but I feel today, she’s really aggressive.”

Zheng’s next opponent is Aryna Sabalenka, the world No 2, who defeated her at the same stage in New York last year and also triumphed in the Australian Open final in January.

This incident echoes previous occurrences of racial abuse.

In 2021, the International Table Tennis Federation committed to addressing racist incidents after a spectator chanted “yellow banana” at Liang Jingkun during the world championships in Texas.

However, the racist abuse directed at her and the subsequent backlash highlighted the ongoing issue of racism in sports.

Social media users identified a man of Asian appearance sitting in the front row as the potential culprit.

He disrupted Zheng’s serve multiple times by walking from his seat to the stands.

The man was no longer visible in the crowd after the third set break.

Zheng, while not addressing the incident directly, expressed her gratitude to the supportive fans and acknowledged the challenging nature of the match.

The incident serves as a reminder of the persistent racism faced by athletes of Asian descent and the need for stronger measures to combat such discrimination in sports.