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In this file photo taken on July 5, 2021, US player Coco Gauff returns against Germany's Angelique Kerber during their women's singles fourth round match on the seventh day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. Glyn Kirk, AFP/File

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 5, 2021 US player Coco Gauff returns against Germany's Angelique Kerber during their women's singles fourth round match on the seventh day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. - The Olympic Games' tennis tournament, already missing the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, lost another draw card when American teenager Coco Gauff pulled out after testing positive for Covid-19. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

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First athletes positive for Covid-19 in Olympic Village: officials

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721974529999tennis_Coco Gauff_AFP_EMBED.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="In this file photo taken on July 5, 2021, US player Coco Gauff returns against Germany&#x27;s Angelique Kerber during their women&#x27;s singles fourth round match on the seventh day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. Glyn Kirk, AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">In this file photo taken on July 5, 2021, US player Coco Gauff returns against Germany&#x27;s Angelique Kerber during their women&#x27;s singles fourth round match on the seventh day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. <em>Glyn Kirk, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>PARIS, France -- Tennis star Coco Gauff on Thursday said the Olympics were an opportunity for Americans to &quot;come together&quot; during a turbulent presidential race back home, as she prepares to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony in Paris.</p><p>Kamala Harris is poised to battle Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt earlier this month, for the presidency in November after incumbent Joe Biden dropped out of the campaign.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/7/24/harris-leads-trump-in-new-poll-after-biden-dropout-1018">READ: Harris leads Trump in new poll after Biden dropout</a></div><p>With increasing division in US politics, Gauff believes the Olympics could help people put the &quot;political turmoil&quot; to the back of their minds.</p><p>&quot;At least this year, there&#x27;s obviously been a lot of political turmoil on both sides,&quot; she told reporters after being named as flagbearer for Friday&#x27;s ceremony along the river Seine.</p><p>&quot;So I think for me, when I get this opportunity, I think of it as something completely separate...</p><p>&quot;I think sport just brings joy. For Americans specifically, there&#x27;s no team in a way where it&#x27;s like NFL where somebody wins and somebody loses... All Americans are cheering for Team USA.</p><p>&quot;I think this is a good opportunity for our country to come together and stand behind something.&quot;</p><p>Gauff has made a habit of speaking out on social and political issues in the United States but accepts that the American Olympic team brings together athletes with a wide range of views.</p><p>&quot;Among the athletes, we all come from different backgrounds,&quot; she added.</p><p>&quot;We all have different walks of life. We believe different things. But we&#x27;re all proud to be here, being an Olympian representing the USA.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/26/paris-braces-for-most-incredible-olympics-opening-ceremony-1256">READ: Paris braces for &#x27;most incredible&#x27; Olympics opening ceremony</a></div><div><strong>- &#x27;In shock&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zz5CPvDTato?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Gauff will become the first tennis player in history to carry the US flag at an Olympic opening ceremony -- something even her idols, Serena and Venus Williams, were never chosen to do.</div><p>The 20-year-old, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at last year&#x27;s US Open, was selected for the role by her USA teammates and was visibly emotional after hearing the news.</p><p>&quot;I truly am in shock and I don&#x27;t take it for granted and I&#x27;m going to try and take it all in,&quot; said Gauff. &quot;I know this will be a memory I&#x27;ll remember for the rest of my life.</p><p>&quot;Flagbearing is one of those things that I just never thought would happen. Even though tennis is an Olympic sport, it&#x27;s not maybe the most popular sport in the Olympics, so I didn&#x27;t even think that was a possibility.&quot;</p><p>Gauff will share the flagbearing duties with NBA superstar LeBron James, another of her sporting heroes, but one who towers almost a foot taller than her.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/22/lebron-james-named-as-usas-male-flag-bearer-for-paris-olympics-2045">READ: LeBron James named as USA&#x27;s male flag bearer for Olympic Games</a></div><p>&quot;I am a little bit concerned about the height difference. I thought it was two flags but I saw pictures (of previous Olympics) and they&#x27;re holding it together.&quot;</p><p>Gauff, the world number two, will face Australia&#x27;s Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round of the singles event at Roland Garros.</p><p>She will be competing for three medals on her Olympic debut after missing out on the Tokyo Games three years ago following a positive Covid test.</p><p>&quot;It was very disappointing, I felt very sad,&quot; Gauff said. &quot;It was obviously out of my hands... Obviously I wanted to compete in Tokyo but it makes this opportunity in this moment a lot sweeter.&quot;</p><p>Gauff and Jessica Pegula are the top seeds in the women&#x27;s doubles competition. In mixed doubles, Gauff is playing with Taylor Fritz and the pair are seeded third.</p><p>&quot;I knew, to be an Olympian, it was a no-brainer for me to take this opportunity and I just can&#x27;t wait to compete and do my best.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f_JJ9K7TcNk?&amp;t=33s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TXlzcVRjKKU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Coco Gauff on Thursday said the Olympics were an opportunity for Americans to "come together" during a turbulent presidential race back home, as she prepares to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony in Paris.</p>

Coco Gauff on Thursday said the Olympics were an opportunity for Americans to "come together" during a turbulent presidential race back home, as she prepares to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony in Paris.

Olympics chance for USA to 'come together', says flagbearer Gauff

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Olympics chance for USA to 'come together', says flagbearer Gauff

Agence France-Presse,

Jed Court

Published Jul 26, 2024 02:17 PM PHT

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