After missing her first opportunity three years ago, Coco Gauff is set to make her Olympic debut this month in Paris.
She will also have the opportunity to make history at the opening ceremony.
The 20-year-old tennis star will join LeBron James and serve as the flag bearer for the United States at the Opening Ceremony on Friday, marking an incredible Olympic debut. Gauff is the first American tennis player to carry the flag in history, and she is the youngest to ever carry the flag for Team USA.
I just want to thank my fellow Olympians/Team USA athletes for voting and choosing me for this incredible honor of being the Opening Ceremony flag bearer ❤️. Thank you so much. I am incredibly honored. 🥹🇺🇸
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) July 24, 2024
Let’s take a look back at Gauff’s journey to the Olympics before her attempt at gold at Roland Garros.
Coco Gauff will not compete in Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19
Gauff was set to make her Olympic debut in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, but she tested positive for COVID-19 in the days leading up to the event. Gauff, who was 17 at the time, had to withdraw from the Games entirely.
Her retirement that year came just weeks after a fourth-round loss at Wimbledon, which remains her best Grand Slam result to this day. She was ranked 25th in the WTA rankings at the time.
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic won the old medal in Tokyo.
Coco Gauff surprises Venus Williams and launches her career
Gauff of course burst onto the scene in 2019 when she became the youngest player in the Open era to qualify for Wimbledon – something she did at just 15. She then beat Venus Williams in three sets in what was an incredibly emotional scene in London. It was only her third match at tour level at the time, while Williams – a five-time Wimbledon singles champion – was the oldest player in the field and nearing the end of her remarkable career.
Gauff reached her first Grand Slam final in 2022, but lost to Iga Swiatek in three sets at Roland Garros. The following year, Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final to win her first major title. She recovered to win the final two sets after losing the first 2–6 in New York.
This season, Gauff has reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the French Open. She is also coming off a fourth-round loss at Wimbledon and is ranked No. 2 in the world.
Coco Gauff to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles in Paris
After missing the Tokyo Games, Gauff is maximizing her chances of winning a medal this summer.
Gauff will play singles in Paris, starting with a first-round match against Ajla Tomljanović.
She will also team up with Jessica Pegula in the women’s doubles. The duo will open against Australians Daria Saville and Ellen Perez. Pegula, 30, is ranked No. 6 in the WTA rankings. They played together at Wimbledon and reached the quarterfinals.
Finally, Gauff will team up with Taylor Fritz in mixed doubles. Fritz, who is ranked 11th in the ATP rankings, is coming off a quarterfinal finish at Wimbledon, her best Grand Slam result of her career. They will open their match against Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska and Maximo Gonzalez.
The tennis competition begins on Saturday at Roland Garros.