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Coco Gauff tests positive for COVID-19, won't compete at Tokyo Olympics

South Florida teen would have been second-youngest US player to compete
Coco Gauff headlines U.S. Olympic Tennis Team
Posted at 3:32 PM, Jul 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-18 19:25:18-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — South Florida tennis sensation Coco Gauff announced Sunday she has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be unable to play in the Tokyo Games.

"It has always been a dream of mine to represent the USA at the Olympics, and I hope there will be many more chances for me to make this come true in the future," she said in a tweet.

Gauff, 17, was set to be the headliner of the U.S. Olympic tennis team.

She would have been the second-youngest U.S. player ever after 16-year-old Jennifer Capriati took home a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

After making it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in June, Gauff was the headliner on a United States roster that was ravaged by big-name opt-outs. On the women's side, top-ranked women Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin declined their invites to the Games, and on the men's side, the top three -- John Isner, Reilly Opelka and Taylor Fritz -- opted out.

Jennifer Brady, Jessica Pegula and Alison Riske are the remaining women set to represent the U.S. in singles, and Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Tennys Sandgren and Marcos Giron will represent on the men's side. Nicole Melichar and Rio mixed doubles gold medalist Bethanie Mattek-Sands are the doubles-only picks, along with Rio mixed double silver medalist Rajeev Ram, and Austin Krajicek.

Tennis competition at the Tokyo Olympics gets underway on Friday, July 23 (Eastern Time).