MELBOURNE, Australia — Following her recent victory at the Australian Open, American tennis player Coco Gauff expressed her sadness over the apparent removal of TikTok in the United States. After clinching her match against Belinda Bencic with a score of 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, Gauff left a heartfelt note on a TV camera that read “RIP TikTok USA” accompanied by a broken heart symbol. This moment occurred shortly after TikTok was taken down from major app stores in the U.S. on Saturday.
During a press conference after her win, Gauff revealed, “I couldn’t access it after my match. I genuinely believed I could avoid it since I am in Australia.” She expressed her hope for the app’s return, saying, “It’s really sad. I’ve been with the app since it was known as Musical.ly. I find TikTok to be an escape, often using it before matches. This situation may compel me to read more books and perhaps become a more productive person in some ways. It might be a blessing in disguise.”
After securing a win in many tournaments, athletes typically receive a pen to share their thoughts for the cameras. Gauff paused for a moment to come up with her message about TikTok before writing it with blue ink. In June 2022, she took a stand at the French Open, addressing the issue of gun violence in the United States through her message: “Peace. End gun violence.” Now at 20 years old, Gauff has established herself as one of the sport’s leading players, having won the 2023 U.S. Open and currently holding the No. 3 ranking.
TikTok has been a popular platform for Gauff, who often participates in trending challenges. She remarked on the frequent issues with the app: “It feels like this is the third or fourth time this has occurred. At this point, I’m just like, ‘Whatever.’ If I wake up and can’t access it, that’s fine. I refuse to keep wasting my time trying to figure it out.” Interestingly, she noted that users are migrating to a new app called RedNote, suggesting that people would adapt regardless of TikTok’s fate.
Gauff further emphasized the importance of TikTok, not only for her but also for small businesses and content creators in the U.S., stating, “It’s been an incredible tool for many. Personally, I’ve discovered remarkable stories and connections through it. I hope it perseveres, although I’m not fully informed about the security challenges and controversies involved.”
In a related note, President-elect Donald Trump announced via his Truth Social account plans to issue an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to find an approved buyer. Subsequently, TikTok indicated that it was “in the process” of working to restore access for users in the United States.
The app was taken down from major platforms, including Apple and Google, just hours before a federal law aiming to ban TikTok was to come into force. This law necessitated that ByteDance either sell the platform or face a complete ban in the U.S.
Rival player Aryna Sabalenka, currently ranked No. 1, commented on the ban after her own match, saying, “I heard about the TikTok situation. It’s out of our control, and I sincerely hope a resolution is found because I enjoy using TikTok.”
