Photo by Sean M. Haffey
Coco Gauff has become the youngest American female to win an Olympic singles match. ESPN reports that she is the first woman to have achieved this feat since Venus Williams. Venus first won the singles match at the 2000 Olympic Games.
The 20-year-old secured the historic W after beating Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in their first-round match with a score of 6-3, 6-0. Their match lasted about 57 minutes.
Before touching the court, the tennis player also served as the U.S. female flag bearer at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. She was also the youngest American to achieve that honor!
Social media users reacted under ESPN’s X, formerly known as Twitter, report.
@MattT wrote, “Let’s goo Coco.”
@AbellaMur added, “COCO ISN’T NEXT UP ANYMORE, IT’S COCO’S TIME!”
Coco previously could not compete in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for coronavirus. In July 2021, she tweeted, “I am so disappointed to share the news that I have tested positive for COVID and won’t be able to play in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Her message continued, “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.”
Coco shared a message to fellow “young athletes” last year after winning her first grand slam title at the 2023 US Open.
“I’ve always believed that age is just a number, and your dreams are there to be chased no matter how old you are,” she said before adding, “This victory means the world to me, and I hope it inspires others to chase their dreams with determination and passion.”
