Coco Gauff heads U.S. tennis at Paris Olympics after missing Tokyo

Coco Gauff will lead the U.S. tennis staff on the Paris Olympics three years after lacking the Tokyo Video games due to COVID-19 an infection.

Gauff, ranked No. 2, shall be joined by Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro in ladies’s singles, together with Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Christopher Eubanks and Marcos Giron in males’s singles.

Olympic tennis begins July 27 at Roland Garros, the location of the French Open.

The American staff options six first-time Olympians, america Tennis Affiliation stated in Thursday’s announcement.

Gauff, 20, is the U.S. Open champion and has reached the semifinals on the yr’s first two Grand Slams, the Australian and French Opens. She was a finalist on the Roland Garros clay in 2022 and shall be a medal contender in doubles, too.

She and Katerina Siniakova gained the French Open doubles title earlier this month.

Gauff examined constructive for COVID-19 days earlier than the beginning of the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in July 2021.

Pegula returned to motion final week from a neck damage in April that pressured her to overlook the French Open. She was a singles quarterfinalist there in 2022.

Collins, who stated this shall be her remaining season on the tour, has gained two titles this yr in Miami and Charleston. The 2022 Australian Open runner-up additionally reached the Strasbourg remaining in Might earlier than a second-round exit on the French Open, the place her finest outcome was the quarterfinals in 2020.

Doubles participant Desirae Krawczyk will staff up Collins on the Paris Video games. Collins and Krawczyk, each 30, gained a doubles title final yr in Charleston. Krawczyk is a four-time Grand Slam champion in combined doubles.

Navarro, at a career-high No. 17, reached the fourth spherical at Roland Garros.

For the lads, Fritz is the highest-ranked American at No. 12, adopted by Paul at No. 13. Eubanks is forty fourth and Giron 53rd.

Paul and Giron competed on the Tokyo Video games.

The U.S. can be taking Rajeev Ram, 40, to his third Olympics. He’ll be paired with Austin Krajicek in Paris. Fritz and Paul may also be a part of forces in doubles.

Ram, who has 4 main doubles titles, gained the combined doubles silver medal with Venus Williams on the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Video games.

The USTA stated it can announce one combined doubles staff for Paris later.