In the high-stakes world of professional tennis, where every match can feel like a battle for survival, Coco Gauff has proven time and again that she’s not just a formidable athlete but also a relatable young woman navigating the pressures of fame, competition, and modern distractions. At just 21 years old, the world No. 2 has already etched her name into tennis history as a two-time Grand Slam champion and a 10-time WTA Tour singles titlist. Yet, even champions need a break from the constant buzz—both on and off the court. Following her commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Wang Xinyu in the second round of the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Gauff opened up in a lively post-match press conference about a surprising decision that highlights the human side of elite sports: she had deleted Twitter from her phone to curb an escalating addiction to reality TV drama and the swirling chaos of tennis discussions online.
The admission came amid a backdrop of recent challenges for Gauff. Entering the Cincinnati Open, she carried the weight of some unconvincing performances, including a shocking early exit at Wimbledon earlier in the year. There, despite holding a 3-0 head-to-head advantage over Dayana Yastremska, Gauff faltered in a match marred by double faults at critical moments, falling 7-6(3), 6-1 in just over an hour. The woes continued at the National Bank Open in Montreal, where she succumbed in the fourth round to home favorite and eventual champion Victoria Mboko. These setbacks could have easily dominated the conversation, but Gauff’s presser took a delightfully unexpected turn when she revealed her social media detox, blending humor with candid vulnerability.
“I had to delete Twitter after last week because I’m too involved with Love Island,” she joked, her words capturing the essence of a guilty pleasure that had spiraled out of control. Love Island, the wildly popular reality dating series where young singles couple up on a sun-soaked island paradise, voting and twists dictated by viewers, has captivated millions with its daily episode drops—perfect for binge-watching but perilous for someone with a globe-trotting schedule like Gauff’s. “And then Tennis Twitter’s coming up, and you know, there’s all this drama from that and Love Island,” she continued, acknowledging how the platform’s algorithm had entangled her in a web of tennis controversies and show spoilers.
But it wasn’t just Love Island pulling her in deeper. Gauff confessed that even without watching it, she found herself engrossed in discussions about The Summer I Turned Pretty, a coming-of-age drama series that kept popping up in her feed. “Then for some reason, The Summer I Turned Pretty was coming up, and I’d never watched that, but I was into it even not watching the show! I was like, ‘Ok, I’m getting too addicted.’ So, I have no Twitter on my phone anymore,” she explained, her tone mixing amusement with a hint of relief. This digital cleanse wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment choice; it stemmed from an obsession that had been building for months.
Gauff traced her Love Island fixation back to the previous season, but this year, she dove in from the very beginning, turning it into a ritual that disrupted her routine. “I got into it last season. This season, I was actually able to start from the beginning. I had a really bad addiction that started right around French Open time,” she shared. Imagine the discipline required to wake up at 6 a.m. in Europe, fresh off a grueling tournament like Roland Garros—where she claimed one of her Major titles—just to catch the latest episode without risking spoilers. “I would be like, first thing in the morning, waking up in Europe to watch Love Island at 6AM, and I couldn’t go on my phone until I watched it because I didn’t want spoilers,” she recounted, painting a picture of a top athlete trading volleys for virtual villa intrigue.
Her enthusiasm extended beyond solitary viewing. Gauff has become a full-fledged fan, rooting for standout couples like Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen, affectionately dubbed “Nicolandria.” She’s immersed herself in the community, joining two Love Island group chats and even hosting a watch party. “I went to a watch party for Love Island. I’m in two Love Island group chats. I hosted a Love Island watch party,” she exclaimed with infectious energy. The obsession nearly escalated to recreating the show’s dynamics in real life: “It was a bad obsession! I was thinking of doing, if I had time I was going to do a whole Love Island game with my friends where we had to dress up and couple up. I had it all planned out, but I didn’t have time in between Wimbledon and here. Next season, maybe!”
Despite her reluctance to explore the UK version of the series—fearing it would deepen her immersion—Gauff couldn’t help but fantasize about stepping into the villa herself. “They would never cast me, but I would totally, if I didn’t play tennis, I would totally do it. It just seems so fun to be on vacation in Fiji,” she laughed, pondering a hypothetical where she trades her racket for romance under the Fijian sun. “Honestly, if I was single, then yeah! I told my friends, I was like, ‘I want to get casted!’”
As entertaining as these revelations were, they underscore a broader truth for athletes like Gauff: the need for balance in an era where social media amplifies every triumph and tribulation. Tennis Twitter, with its endless debates and “drama,” can be as exhausting as a five-set thriller, especially when mixed with escapist entertainment. By ditching the app, Gauff is reclaiming focus at a pivotal moment. As the defending champion in Cincinnati—where she triumphed in 2023—she now sets her sights on redemption against Yastremska in the third round. The Ukrainian, who stunned her at Wimbledon, presents a chance to rewrite recent history and build momentum toward the US Open.
Gauff’s story is a reminder that even the most disciplined stars crave downtime and connection, whether through a forehand winner or a fictional island fling. As she navigates the hardcourt swing, her ability to step away from distractions might just be the key to unlocking her next big victory, proving that sometimes, the best serve comes after a well-timed reset.
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