Coco Gauff is taking the Australian Open by storm, punching her ticket to a second straight quarterfinal after losing just one set in the tournament so far. The American tennis star has been in electrifying form, boasting a nine-match winning streak in 2025. This hot streak puts her in exclusive company, joining legends like Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Serena Williams, and Margaret Court as the only women in the Open Era to pull off such a feat. But while her tennis continues to dominate headlines, Gauff turned the spotlight onto TikTok!

On January 19, TikTok was officially banned in the U.S. as part of a new law requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app or face a nationwide shutdown. Concerns over data privacy and national security had fueled the decision, and the app appeared to be done for—until it wasn’t.

The No. 3 seed, after sealing the fourth round victory against Belinda Bencic Sunday, scrawled “RIP TikTok USA” with a broken heart on the camera lens, mourning the app’s ban in the United States. For Coco Gauff, who has over 750,000 followers on TikTok, the announcement hit close to home.

Hours after her heartfelt farewell, news broke that President-elect Donald Trump, asking tech companies ‘not to let TikTok stay dark’, had granted TikTok a 90-day extension. “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok said in a post on X. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.” 

Coco Gauff couldn’t help but laugh at the dramatic turn of events. She posted a screenshot of TikTok welcoming her back and captioned it, “lmfaooo we were dramatic for what,” on her Instagram story.

Just a day earlier, Coco Gauff shared a screenshot of TikTok’s error message, trying to open the app in Australia only to be met with the ban notice. “I don’t know why I thought since I’m in Australia this wouldn’t apply to me. Been on this app since Musical.ly shaking my head,” she wrote.

The former US Open champion had spoken at length about TikTok, emphasising its importance in her life as it was banned for a day.

Coco Gauff shares how TikTok helps her ‘escape’

The TikTok drama even found its way into Coco Gauff’s post-match press conference where she revealed how much she loves the app.

She reflected on her years with the app, saying, “I’ve been on the app since it was called Musical.ly. So, yeah, I love TikTok. I don’t know, it’s like an escape. I honestly do that before matches.” She admitted the ban would’ve been tough but tried to see the silver lining. “I guess it’ll force me to read books more and, yeah, be a more productive human probably. So maybe it’s a blessing in disguise; everything happens for a reason.”

The ban had also sent TikTok users scrambling for alternatives, and Gauff was no exception. She tried downloading Red Note, a Chinese app that gained popularity as a backup. She said, “Yeah, I’ve tried to download it. For some reason, it’s not working. Once I figure that out, I’ll be on the app. Also, it’s an opportunity to connect with a Chinese audience,” Gauff said. However, with TikTok back in play—for now—she might not need a Plan B just yet.

On the court, the former US Open champion continues to make waves. She defeated Bencic 5-7,6-2,6-1, keeping her quest for a maiden Australian Open title alive. The 20-year-old is set to face Spanish player Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals on January 21. With her powerful game and cool composure, Gauff looks ready to take on whatever comes her way, whether it’s a tough opponent or a social media ban.

Can Gauff keep her winning streak alive and book a spot at the Australian Open semifinal for the second time?