World No. 2 tennis star Coco Gauff reflected on her challenging experience at the Paris Olympics, offering a candid assessment of what she described as a “disappointing” campaign. Gauff, who competed in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, faced early exits in all three events but remains optimistic about her Olympic journey.
“I feel that’s what life is about, having a disappointing result and the next time being the best in the world. I’m trying to learn from this experience and overall, it has been positive,” Gauff said, as reported by Oli Dickson Jefford. “I would do it again, even if I lost in the first round.”
Gauff entered the Paris Games as one of the top contenders, but her Olympic debut did not go as planned. In singles, she was eliminated in the third round by eventual silver medalist Donna Vekic after a contentious match that included a dispute with the umpire over a line call. In women’s doubles, Gauff and her partner Jessica Pegula were knocked out in the second round, while her mixed doubles run with Taylor Fritz ended in the quarterfinals.
Despite these results, Gauff’s perspective remains positive, especially given the unique honor of being chosen as Team USA's flag bearer during the opening ceremony. The recognition was particularly meaningful for Gauff, who missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.
“It was amazing, being the flag bearer was something I wouldn’t have expected and meeting all the amazing people I met. Every Olympics I qualify for, I will definitely play unless I’m injured,” Gauff said about a potential return at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Coco Gauff eyes 2028 Olympics
Gauff’s Olympic journey was a learning experience, and she is already looking ahead.
“In four years, I’ll be 24, so I’ll still be healthy and young, especially if the mixed doubles draw is so small,” Gauff said. “I feel like it’s something everyone wants to play and I had a great experience. From not being able to go to Tokyo to going to Paris, in Los Angeles, I hope to step onto the podium.
Following the Olympics, Gauff quickly returned to competition at the National Bank Open in Toronto, where she cruised past Yafan Wang in the second round on Friday. Preparing for her U.S. Open title defense, Gauff acknowledged the challenges of transitioning between surfaces but is focused on her game.
“It's not easy transitioning from all these different surfaces in such a short amount of time,” Gauff said, per The Associated Press. “Happy to get pushed through.”
In Paris, the courts are clay, while in Toronto Gauff is playing on a hard court.
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