Coco Gauff will become the first tennis player in history to serve as Team USA's flag bearer alongside LeBron James at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 20-year-old Gauff is ranked No. 2 in the world and is the defending U.S. Open champion. She will also become the youngest U.S. flag bearer in Olympic history, surpassing Cindy Nelson, who bore the flag at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
Going deeper
How will Coco Gauff solve a problem like Iga Swiatek?
Gauff will represent the United States in women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles, facing world No. 6 Jessica Pegula in women's doubles and world No. 11 Taylor Fritz in mixed doubles.
She was originally selected to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, but was diagnosed with COVID-19, meaning she cannot compete in the 2021 Olympics.
I want to thank my fellow Olympians/athletes on Team USA for voting for me for the incredible honor of being the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony ❤️. Thank you so much. It's such an honor. 🥹🇺🇸
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) July 24, 2024
The favorite to win the singles title is world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who has won the past three French Open titles at the Olympic tennis venue, Stade Roland Garros in Paris. Swiatek has an 11-1 record against Gauff, including a win in the semifinals of this year's French Open in June.
Gauff won the women's doubles title there with Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and is hoping to beat Siniakova at the Olympics when she faces Wimbledon champion and 10-time Grand Slam doubles champion Barbora Krejcikova.
The draw for the tennis competition will take place on Thursday at 11am Paris time / 5am EST.
Get the latest sports news delivered to your inbox every day for free. Sign up
Get the latest sports news delivered to your inbox every day for free. Sign up
buy
Must Read
(Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
