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Coco Gauff has been chosen to carry the Team USA flag at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, making her the first tennis player to receive this honor. She will share this distinction with basketball legend LeBron James.
At just 20 years old, Gauff, the world No. 2 and reigning U.S. Open champion, will become the youngest American flagbearer in Olympic history, surpassing Cindy Nelson, who held the role at the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Games.
Gauff expressed her gratitude on social media, saying, “I just want to thank my fellow Olympians/Team USA athletes for voting and choosing me for this incredible honor of being the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony ❤️. Thank you so much. I am incredibly honored. 🥹🇺🇸”
Competing in women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, Gauff will partner with world No. 6 Jessica Pegula in women’s doubles and world No. 11 Taylor Fritz in mixed doubles. She was initially set to participate in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics but had to withdraw due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.
The favorite for the singles title at the Paris Olympics is world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who has dominated the French Open at Stade Roland Garros, the venue for the Olympic tennis events. Swiatek holds an 11-1 record against Gauff, including a recent semifinal win at this year’s French Open.
Gauff, who clinched the women’s doubles title at the same tournament with her partner Katerina Siniakova, is aiming to triumph over Swiatek at the Olympics. Siniakova will compete alongside Wimbledon champion and 10-time Grand Slam doubles winner Barbora Krejcikova.
The draws for the tennis events are scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in Paris (5:00 p.m. ET).
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