In contrast to the somber tone of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics staged three years ago in the midst of a global pandemic, the 2024 Olympic Village in Paris has taken on a festive, summer-camp vibe.
Tennis stars like Carlos Alcaraz (Spain), Andy Murray (Great Britain), Naomi Osaka (Japan), and Coco Gauff (USA), who are all staying in team accommodations in the official Olympic Village, are giving us a peek behind the curtain as they soak up Olympic magic ahead of the games.
From taking part in time-honored Olympic traditions to posing for selfies with athletes in other sports, tennis stars are sharing the special moments that make the Olympics one of the most thrilling sporting events of their careers.
Pin exchanges with athletes from other nations
The pin-trading tradition at the Olympics dates to 1896 in Athens, when cardboard rounds festooned with ribbons were used to identify athletes and officials. Since then, they have evolved into metal pins with flags and other designs that show what nation an athlete is from and what sport they are competing in. Over the years, athletes began trading commemorative pins and sport-specific designs with one another.
Team GB teammate Katie Boulter revealed to the Daily Express that Andy Murray has taken the pin-collecting tradition to heart, roaming the Olympic Village in order to amass as many pins as possible. He’s even going as far as trading selfies with fans for a good pin, she said.
“He is probably the pro in pin collecting. He takes it very seriously. Ever since the accreditation line that we were picking up our badges, he was right on the ball and getting as many as he could,” Boulter told the Daily Express.
Murray may have some competition in the tennis pin-collecting race. CNN sports anchor Coy Wire shared a photo on Facebook that showed him trading a CNN pin with Coco Gauff, the first tennis player to serve as a Team USA flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony, with a caption that read: “Team USA athletes are saying Coco is taking over the Olympic Village, dominating the pin-collecting tradition.”
Naomi Osaka, who is part Haitian, put a plea out on TikTok hoping to trade for a Haitian pin, saying she might even park herself outside the Haitian building if need be. In the comments, rugby player Tone Ng Shiu said he’d trade a New Zealand pin for a photo.
Experiencing fandom in a new way
It’s no surprise that reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has attracted a lot of attention in the village. Earlier this week, he posed for a photo with the entire Dutch women’s field hockey team and with Jeremy Hazin, a Canadian table tennis player, who captioned a selfie with Alcaraz: “Ran into the legend at the athlete dining hall!”
Alcaraz also made the day of one of his biggest fans–Sir Andy Murray. Murray captioned the photo on his Instagram, which shows the two tennis greats at the entrance to the Olympic Village, “Managed to grab a photo with my favourite athlete” and punctuated it with a heart emoji.
On TikTok, Bianca Andreescu took followers for a tour around the Olympic Village, briefly fan-girling over Simone Biles, who she saw passing by while recording her video; in the tour, she also traded pins with a fellow athlete from Brazil.
Bianca Andreescu’s first tennis blog from the Olympic village. 😍 pic.twitter.com/BD8uVVxSIn
— LaWanda (@lawanda50) July 25, 2024
Vlogs give a glimpse into life in the Olympic Village
Daria Saville (Australia) has posted numerous behind-the-scenes reels in the Olympic Village, giving a tour of the room she shares with Australian doubles player Ellen Perez, a visit to the athlete the dining hall, and unboxing her extensive team kit.
Main Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
