Coco Gauff paid tribute to TikTok as she celebrated her Australian Open victory over Belinda Bencic after the popular app was unavailable stateside.
After defeating Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of his first Grand Slam tournament this season, Gauff was heartbroken as he wrote "RIP TikTok USA" on the camera. Before the app was cut off, Gauff had more than 750,000 followers.
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Coco Gauff writes "RIP Tik Tok" after defeating Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday, January 19, 2025 USA". (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
"I couldn't access it after the game. I honestly thought I was able to get away with it because I was in Australia," she told reporters after the game, via ESPN. "Hopefully it comes back... It's really sad. I've been using this app since it was called Musical.ly.
"I love TikTok. It's like an escape. Honestly, I do it before games. I think it forces me to read more — and maybe become a more productive person. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise."
TikTok officially became available to U.S. users late Saturday night. Anyone using the app will receive a message that reads: “Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable.
“The United States has enacted laws banning TikTok, which unfortunately means you can’t use TikTok now.
Coco Gauff returns a shot from Belinda Bencic during the Australian Open on Sunday, January 19, 2025 in Melbourne. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
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"We are fortunate that President Trump has stated that he will work with us on solutions to restore TikTok once he takes office. Stay tuned!"
On the eve of his inauguration, President-elect Trump wrote in a Truth Society post on Sunday that he would sign an executive order extending the ban.
He wrote: "I ask companies not to let TikTok fall into darkness! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the time the legal ban is in effect so that we can reach an agreement to protect our national security." “This order will also confirm that any company that helped prevent TikTok from shutting down prior to my order will not be held liable.
"Americans deserve to see our exciting inauguration on Monday, along with other events and conversations."
The TikTok logo is displayed on a mobile phone in San Francisco on January 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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Trump added that he wanted the United States to have "50 percent ownership in a joint venture."
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