After missing the opportunity to compete in Tokyo four years ago due to testing positive for Covid-19 on the eve of her departure, 21-year-old American Coco Gauff is hungry to bring home a medal in her first Olympic games.
The current world #2 is among the favourites to bring home an Olympic medal in singles, doubles and mixed doubles; playing on the clay at Roland Garros, she will have numerous positive memories to draw on.
Finding her footing on clay
Despite growing up playing on the hard courts in Florida, Gauff has excelled on clay from an early age. Roland Garros is where Gauff won the girls’ title in 2018 and made the quarterfinals in 2021 and 2023. She reached the finals of the French Open in 2022.
Over the course of the 2024 clay swing, Gauff posted a 12-4 win record (74%), reaching the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and the semifinals in both Rome and at Roland Garros, where she lost to the eventual champion Iga Swiatek. World #1 Swiatek has a 95% win record on clay this year, underscoring her position as the favourite for gold in Paris.
Clay requires increased patience and consistency, as rallies tend to be longer. Improvements Gauff has made in the past year make her a force to be reckoned with in long exchanges. And given her natural athletic ability, Gauff may be unbothered by the transition from clay to grass and back again to clay – a key concern for what is necessarily an easy transition.
US Open success ends crisis of confidence
When Gauff charged to the title at the US Open in 2023 it was a happy ending to a very rocky year that saw the American suffering through serve problems and inconsistency off of her forehand wing.
Since then, Gauff has been brimming with confidence and has settled in well with a new coaching team headed by Brad Gilbert. She’s posting wins even on days when she’s not playing her best. She’s improved her mental game and used her many strengths – speed around the court, her big serve and her natural athletic ability – to stay at the top of the rankings.
What remains to be seen is how Gauff bounces back from the disappointing loss she suffered two weeks ago in the Wimbledon quarterfinals and where she had some uncharacteristic exchanges with her coaching box.
I expect Gauff to put that all behind her and arrive laser-focused on the task at hand. She’s made no secret of her desire to win an Olympic medal and has talked openly about how much it means to her to represent her country.
Looking forward to the experience
Gauff recently shared a letter, penned to her 17-year-old self who was devastated to miss the Tokyo Olympics. In it she describes her excitement about competing in her first Olympics, her desire to bring home a medal, the importance of bonding with her teammates, upholding the legacy of her mentor Serena Williams, and connecting with athletes from around the globe.
Speaking ahead of the games, she also shared her thoughts about the experience of representing Team USA and what it means, win or lose.
“I think I play my best tennis when I try to minimize the moment as much as possible,” she said. “I’m just going to enjoy it and, you know, it’s one of those things, win or lose it will always be a positive experience for me. Even if I could experience the biggest disappointment there, I got to compete in the Olympics.”
Gauff’s Olympic dreams turned technicolor when she was named the female USA flag bearer (the youngest ever for the USA) and was given the honor of carrying the flag next to Le Bron James, the male USA flag bearer, during the Opening Ceremonies.
“I never thought in a million years I would have the honor of carrying the American flag for Team USA. I could not be more proud to lead my teammates with LeBron as we showcase our dedication and passion on the biggest stage there is,” she said in a statement.
Triple threat in Paris
Gauff is among a relatively small contingent of players who are medal contenders in singles and poised to make a run in the doubles as well. Over the course of her short career, Gauff has made it a habit to hone her doubles game and in turn used those doubles skills – aggressive net play, serve precision – to improve her singles game.
Though currently ranked world #13 in doubles, Gauff reached the pinnacle of the doubles rankings in 2022 and holds nine titles in doubles, reaching the final at a further five tournaments. That includes a good record on the clay – this year she won the women’s doubles title at Roland Garros, paired with Katerina Siniakova, whilst in 2022 she was a doubles finalist at Roland Garros with Jessica Pegula. She will be playing with Pegula – who she has won five titles with – again at the Paris Olympics.
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
