How Tennis Pro Coco Gauff Manifested Paris Olympics Dream; Hint: It Involves A Letter

In 2020, during tough times, American tennis prodigy Coco Gauff wrote herself a letter, assuring her she would work hard and make it to the Olympics one day. Fast forward to 2024, the 20-year-old has not just achieved her goal but is also making history as the youngest flagbearer for the USA at the Paris Games. "It's crazy how some of the darkest moments in your life can prep you for the biggest one," she expressed in an interview with TODAY Show. Gauff emerged as one of the highest-paid female athletes by just the age of 19 and is now eyeing an Olympic gold. 

Who Is Coco Gauff?

Born Cori Dionne Gauff in 2004, Coco Gauff's tennis journey began when she started playing the sport at the tender age of six. She first became a notable player in the world of tennis when she beat Venus Williams, one of her idols, at Wimbledon in 2019- she was just 15 years old.

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According to the official WTA website, she won her maiden WTA title at Linz in 2019 and reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 2021. She qualified for the American national team sent to participate in the Tokyo Olympics of 2021, however was forced to withdraw when she tested positive for COVID-19.

That same year, she became the youngest Grand Slam quarterfinalist in 15 years in the same year, after beating tennis veteran Ons Jabeur. In the 2023 US Open women's singles finals became the first American teenager to win the tournament, gathering her a spot as the world No. 3 in Tennis. She won the final match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka.

In 2024, at Roland Garros French Open, Gauff reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 2 in singles on 10 June. However, she was defeated by eventual champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Gauff went out in the fourth round to Emma Navarro. Gauff will now be the female USA flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris with basketball player LeBron James.