In a historic move, tennis sensation Coco Gauff has been chosen as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games. This makes Gauff the first tennis athlete to carry the U.S. flag in Olympic history, alongside basketball legend LeBron James.

Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, expressed her excitement about representing her country at the Olympics, stating that it is a top priority for her, on par with the Grand Slams. Despite never having played in the Games before, the 20-year-old tennis star is determined to do well and aims to bring home a medal.

Gauff's Olympic journey has been a long time coming. She was originally selected for the Tokyo Games three years ago as a teenager but was unable to compete due to testing positive for COVID-19. Now, based in Florida, Gauff has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in both singles and doubles events. In September, she claimed her first major championship with a stunning victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open singles final. Just last month, Gauff added another milestone to her career by clinching her first Grand Slam doubles trophy at the French Open alongside partner Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.

The Paris Olympics will be held on the same clay courts at Roland Garros that were used for the French Open, providing a familiar setting for Gauff. As the No. 2 seed in singles, matching her current WTA ranking, she is considered a strong contender for a medal. In women's doubles, Gauff and her usual partner, Jessica Pegula, hold the top seed.

While the possibility of Gauff also competing in mixed doubles remains open, official pairings have yet to be announced. Gauff, however, is taking a laid-back approach and intends to fully embrace the Olympic experience, treating it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The draw to determine the brackets for the tennis tournament will take place on Thursday, with play commencing on Saturday. All eyes will be on Coco Gauff as she steps onto the Olympic stage, aiming to make her mark and add another extraordinary chapter to her already illustrious career.