Coco Gauff has debuted a new hairstyle while enjoying a break from tennis ahead of the WTA Finals.

Gauff last competed at the China Open, where she suffered a round-of-16 defeat to Elise Mertens on Oct. 7. The loss marked the first time Mertens had beaten the American in their six career meetings. Gauff subsequently withdrew from the Wuhan Open, as her body needed time to rest and recover.

The American is taking time away from competition before the WTA Finals, scheduled for Nov. 8-15, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. During her break, she shared a glimpse of her new look on Instagram on Tuesday, revealing that she had straightened and cut her hair for the first time in years. The caption of the video read:

“Straightened and cut my hair for the first time in yearsss.”

Gauff’s China Open campaign also attracted attention for a controversial incident during her round-of-32 match against Sun Xinran. She stopped play after noticing flickering LED lights as Sun appeared to be finishing a point. The chair umpire subsequently ordered the point to be replayed, and Gauff won the replayed point before eventually securing the match. The incident sparked criticism online, with Gauff also receiving racist abuse following her victory.

Coco Gauff opened up about her China Open loss

After losing to Elise Mertens at the China Open, Coco Gauff spoke to the reporters during the postmatch interview, where she reflected on her upset.

“I think I just didn’t play well. I think I wasn’t moving well. There were a lot of things I didn’t do well. I thought Elise played well on the big points, made me play a big ball, yeah,” Gauff said.

The American said that she intended to step away from the noise and move forward after the loss:

“I mean, obviously, a bit disappointing, the result today. I had two good matches. Yeah, I mean, I always enjoy playing here. But it has been kind of draining; I’m not going to lie. I just turn off my phone and move on. I mean, there’s nothing you can do.”

Coco Gauff reached the semifinals of the 2025 China Open but lost to Amanda Anisimova.