“I wanted to cry when I found out,” Coco Gauff stunned to be chosen as Team USA’s female flag bearer

Gauff has a strong record on clay and is one of the favorites to win gold at the Summer Games.

“I wanted to cry when I found out,” Coco Gauff stunned to be chosen as Team USA’s female flag bearer

Coco Gauff (Via Imago)

Coco Gauff has admitted that she was surprised to be chosen as Team USA’s female flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The 20-year-old will become the first tennis player to carry the country’s flag during the traditional opening at the Games.

The reigning US Open champion is set to take part in her maiden Olympics. She was supposed to have her first taste of the event in Tokyo but tested positive for COVID-19 just before the event.

Gauff has shown strong form this season, winning one title and reaching four semifinals. Despite arriving at the French capital after her fourth-round exit at Wimbledon, she’s among the favorites to pick a medal in both the singles and doubles.

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However, before her first match, she will carry her country’s flag alongside basketball star Lebron James at the opening ceremony. During a press conference, she admitted that she was surprised to be chosen for the role.

There has never been a tennis player before and I just didn’t think I would be that player. I wanted to cry when I found out, but my whole team was there so I went in a corner and did it.
Coco Gauff said (via Tennis365)

The American was handed a fair draw at the Olympics. She faces Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round. Alongside her partner Jessica Pegula, she will take on Australia’s stars Daria Saville and Ellen Perez in the women’s doubles.

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Coco Gauff’s Roland Garros record makes her a favorite to win gold in Paris

Coco Gauff is one of the favorites to win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics because of her record on clay. She had a brilliant clay campaign this year, reaching two semifinals and one quarterfinal. Overall, she has a 21-5 record at the Roland Garros, the venue of the tennis tournament at the Summer Games.

Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff (VIa Imago)

Gauff reached the semifinals of the French Open in 2021 and 2023 and finished as the runner-up in 2022. This year, she lost 2-6, 4-6 to World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals.

Despite her good clay record, the American star has not won a clay title since 2021, when she beat Wang Qiang 6-1, 6-3 at the WTA 250 Emilia Romagna Open. At the Olympics, her biggest challenge will come from Swiatek, another player who is very strong on the red dirt.

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