Indian Wells Semi-Finalist Coco Gauff Flag Bearer For US Olympic Team

PARIS, FRANCE — Twenty-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff will join NBA icon LeBron James, 39, as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.

She will be the first tennis athlete to carry the American flag at the Games. She and James were chosen as flag bearers by Team USA athletes.

Gauff, who was a semi-finalist in ladies' singles and a quarterfinalist in doubles at the 2024 Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open, will make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games. She made the American team for the Tokyo Olympic Games three years ago as a teenager but had to sit it out after testing positive for COVID-19.

The always-poised Gauff provided a professional response when asked earlier this year about the 2024 Games.

"I mean, for me, the Olympics is a top priority. I would say equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below, just because I’ve never played before. This is my first time," the Florida resident told media during her 2024 Italian Open bid, where she was a semi-finalist. "Obviously, I always want to do well, try to get a medal."

Gauff is seeded No. 2 in singles at the Games, matching her current Womens Tennis Association ranking behind world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland. The two are among the medal favorites.

Gauff and her usual doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded No. 1 in women’s doubles at the Games. Gauff and the highest-ranked American male tennis player, Taylor Fritz of Southern California, were seeded No. 2 in mixed doubles when those Olympic pairings were announced Wednesday.

Gauff is a fan favorite among tennis aficionados. Her 2024 appearance at Indian Wells drew large crowds, and her March 13 birthday was celebrated during the event when fans serenaded her with song following her win over Belgium's Elise Mertens in the round of 16.

Gauff insists she is going to embrace the Games and not get too stressed.

"I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I really want to fully indulge in the experience," Gauff said about her Olympic debut. "Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.