Coco Gauff is on fire this season! The tennis star pulled off an incredible comeback at the Australian Open on Sunday, defeating Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to secure her spot in the quarterfinals. This win marks her ninth straight victory in 2025, a feat she’s achieved three times in her career. Only legends like Serena Williams and Steffi Graf have managed such a strong start to their seasons.

“It’s wild to be in the same conversation as those icons,” Gauff said after the match, clearly humbled by the comparison.

But it wasn’t all celebration for the 19-year-old. After her win, she took a moment to mourn the shutdown of TikTok in the US, drawing a broken heart on a courtside camera lens with the words “RIP TikTok.”

“I’m really bummed about it,” she admitted. “TikTok’s my go-to before matches. It’s like my little escape. Maybe this’ll push me to read more books or be more productive, though. Silver lining, right?”

Gauff’s match against Bencic was no walk in the park. The Swiss player, a 2020 Olympic champion, pushed Gauff hard in the first set, with long rallies and intense moments. Bencic even broke Gauff’s serve late in the set to take a 7-5 lead. But Gauff bounced back in style, dominating the next two sets with aggressive play and sharp focus.

Reflecting on her resilience, Gauff shared, “A few years ago, if I lost the first set, I’d usually lose the match. My dad told me I needed more fight, and now I always dig deeper when things get tough.”

Next up, Gauff will face Paula Badosa on Tuesday for a chance to advance to the semifinals. Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka also cruised into the quarterfinals with a decisive win over 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Australian Open as the competition heats up!