File photo by Coco Gauff.©AFP
Tennis player Coco Gauff will carry the U.S. flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on Friday, becoming the youngest American to receive this honor. Gauff, 20, was selected by her U.S. Olympic teammates, making her the first tennis player to serve as U.S. flag bearer at an opening or closing ceremony. Joining her will be NBA star LeBron James, named men’s flag bearer on Monday. Gauff, born in March 2004, will surpass the record previously held by Cindy Nelson, an alpine skier who served as the U.S. flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the 1976 Winter Games.
Ranked No. 2 in the world in singles, Gauff won her first Grand Slam singles and doubles titles last year. At the US Open last September, she became the youngest American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Serena Williams won her first title at age 17 in 1999.
Additionally, at the French Open last June, Gauff teamed with Czech Katerina Siniakova to win the women’s doubles title, becoming the youngest woman to win a Grand Slam in both singles and doubles in 19 years.
She made the Tokyo Olympic team at age 17 but was forced to withdraw five days before the opening ceremony after testing positive for Covid-19.
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