Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen faced alleged racial abuse during her US Open match against Donna Vekic, where a spectator reportedly shouted 'yellow banana,' a derogatory term. The incident, which was captured by courtside microphones, sparked outrage on Chinese social media, leading to the hashtag 'Zheng Qinwen fought back racism' trending on Weibo. Despite the incident, Zheng won the match with a score of 7-6, 4-6, 6-2, marking her second quarterfinal appearance in the US Open. Zheng's response to the abuse was to say, 'I'll beat you,' as she remained focused on her performance. The online reaction included praise for Zheng's composure and criticism of the racist remarks, although it also saw some users resorting to racial insults against white individuals. Zheng's quarterfinal match ended in defeat against Aryna Sabalenka, but her earlier performance drew attention to the racism faced by athletes.