Coco Gauff the 23-year-old tennis participant appeared floored right this moment when she realized she’ll be the primary tennis participant to have the respect of being flag bearer for the American crew on the Paris Olympics.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Coco Gauff, the 20-year-old tennis participant, appeared floored right this moment when her fellow teammate Chris Eubanks made this announcement in Paris.
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CHRIS EUBANKS: And I feel since you are so particular, you may have the respect of sporting this jacket in the course of the opening ceremony…
COCO GAUFF: Oh.
EUBANKS: …And being the flag bearer with LeBron James.
(CHEERING)
DANIELLE COLLINS: Let’s go, Coco.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
She took off her darkish blue crew blazer and placed on a ceremonial white one which signifies she’s the flag bearer.
CHANG: That is Coco Gauff’s first Olympics. COVID saved her away from Japan three years in the past. And she or he is the primary tennis participant to have the respect for the American crew.
SHAPIRO: That is clearly a thrill for the No. 2-ranked Coco Gauff, who wrote on social media, quote, “I simply need to say thanks to my fellow Crew USA Olympians/athletes for voting and selecting me for this unbelievable honor.
CHANG: The opening ceremony will happen this Friday as some 100 boats carry tens of 1000’s of athletes and performers. They will float down a 3.7 mile stretch of the Seine as spectators collect on the riverbanks to mark what organizers are calling the primary out of doors opening ceremony in trendy Olympic historical past.
SHAPIRO: Gauff, who’s the reigning US Open champ, has had some powerful singles matches this season. At Wimbledon, she did not make it to the quarterfinals. And she or he misplaced within the semis on the Australian Open and on the French Open performed in Roland-Garros, which is the place the Olympic tennis can be performed.
CHANG: Gauff stated on the Australian Open earlier this 12 months that she had her eye on medaling within the Olympics.
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GAUFF: One of many objectives I wrote down on my imaginative and prescient factor, imaginative and prescient notes, in my telephone was to win a medal within the Olympics. And for me, like, I will be fully trustworthy, I do not actually care what occasion it’s in. So yeah, I simply put I need to medal at any of the occasions. I ideally would need to play all three. However, you realize, we have now to see the place I fall.
SHAPIRO: Coco Gauff is slated to play all three – singles, doubles and combined doubles. Tennis begins on Saturday.
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