Coco Gauff has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first American woman to secure her spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, slated to run from July 26 to August 11 this year. According to NBC Sports, Gauff has amassed sufficient points to secure one of the four spots for women’s singles, representing the USA in Paris.
The Olympics allow a maximum of four singles players per gender from each nation, and the USA is expected to fill all four spots for both men and women. Qualification for the doubles category is separate from singles. Gauff’s qualification follows her absence from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to contracting COVID-19 when she was 17 years old.
Since then, the 20-year-old has demonstrated steady progress, establishing herself as one of the top players on the WTA Tour. Currently ranked third in singles, Gauff reached the final of the French Open in 2022, clinched the US Open title the following year, and reached the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open.
Gauff holds the highest ranking among American women on the tour, followed by Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and Emma Navarro. The USA had a disappointing performance in women’s singles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, with Pegula, Jennifer Brady, and Alison Riske Amritraj all exiting in the first round.
The last American woman to secure an Olympic medal in singles was Serena Williams, who won gold at the 2012 London Olympics. Following her semifinal finish at the BNP Paribas Open, Gauff will be participating in the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Miami later this month.
After receiving a first-round bye as the third seed, Gauff progressed through the tournament by defeating Clara Burel, Lucia Bronzetti, Elise Mertens, and Yuan Yue, reaching her first semifinal in Indian Wells. In the semifinal, Gauff faced World No. 9 Maria Sakkari, who secured a 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2 victory over the American. Sakkari later lost 6-4, 6-0 in the final to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Gauff is now gearing up for the Miami Open, scheduled from March 20 to 31. This will mark her fifth appearance in the tournament, where she has yet to advance beyond the Round of 16 in singles. Notably, Gauff clinched her first WTA 1000 title last year in Cincinnati and currently boasts a 16-4 singles win/loss record for the year, starting the season with a victory at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
JP2021.COM