Barring the Bryan brothers’ success in 2012, the American men have not been able to replicate Andre Agassi’s gold medal win in the Olympics since 1996. On the other hand, the USA women’s team was more successful, with Serena and Venus Williams dominating till 2016.
The women’s contingent has produced at least a single medal in every edition of the Olympics from 1988 (barring the 2004 Games) up until the 2016 Brazil Games. However, the 2020 Tokyo Games proved to be a disaster as the team failed to earn even a single podium finish.
Now, with the 2024 Paris Olympics in sight, a five-member team led by Coco Gauff will be expected to redeem USA women’s tennis, and fans are curious to know more about the stars who will be representing the Red, White, and Blue.
The Olympics team USA women’s tennis team. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/W8NZ0Cmvd3
— LaWanda (@lawanda50) July 23, 2024
Coco Gauff – Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
Apart from being the player with the best shot at winning the nation’s first gold medal at the women’s single event since Serena Williams did in 2012, Coco Gauff has also been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime.
A few days ahead of the opening ceremony, it was announced that Gauff would join LeBron James as the flag bearer for the United States. Being the youngest flag bearer in the nation’s Olympic history will only motivate the #2 seed to get on the podium.
Coco continues to make history.
Grand Slam champion @CocoGauff will carry the flag for Team USA as our women’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony!#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/SoYJsUKUkn
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 24, 2024
In a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) press release, Gauff talked about how she was extremely proud to lead from the front, saying,
“I could not be more proud to lead my teammates with LeBron as we showcase our dedication and passion on the biggest stage there is – at a moment where we can bring athletes and fans together from around the world.”
Apart from her usual singles event, the 20-year-old is also set to partner with Jessica Pegula in the women’s doubles event and Taylor Fritz in the mixed doubles event. American sporting enthusiasts will definitely expect her to have more than one podium finish.
Jessica Pegula – Singles & Doubles
Despite being the second-highest ranked American player, Jessica Pegula might lack confidence entering the quadrennial event. Apart from suffering a first-round loss in her previous Olympic Games appearance, Pegula also virtually skipped the entire clay court season owing to a neck injury.
While the WTA World No.6 might not be the favorite to get a podium finish in the singles event, her doubles pairing with Coco Gauff will be expected to bring home a medal. The two WTA stars have found success when teaming up together and seem to be in sync when on the court.
Danielle Collins – Singles
Despite being on tour for a significant amount of time, 2024 was Danielle Collins’ breakout season. She elevated her game to a different level and has an incredible 16-4 record to show for it.
The in-form 30-year-old is projected to make a deep run into the tournament as several other clay-court specialists on the WTA Tour have chosen to skip the 2024 Summer Games.
Emma Navarro – Singles & Doubles
Emma Navarro will aim to prove herself following her selection on the Olympic roster as a replacement for Madison Keys. Apart from winning her first WTA title this season, Navarro also proved to be a great player on the dirt by reaching the fourth round of the French Open 2024, clinching straight-sets wins against Zeynep Sonmez, Sara Errani, and Madison Keys. Her journey was ultimately cut short after a tough loss against Aryna Sabalenka.
During the 2024 clay-court season, the 23-year-old only participated in one doubles event. Still, she was quite impressive when making a quarterfinal run during Roland Garros 2024 alongside her partner Diana Shnaider. The experience that she gained in the second week of the Grand Slam will be crucial as her pairing with Desirae Krawczyk is expected to win the gold in Paris.
Desirae Krawczyk – Doubles
Desirae Krawczyk is unarguably the best women’s doubles player in the nation. Over the past few months, Krawczyk made it to the semifinals of the Italian Open 2024, the French Open 2024, as well as Wimbledon 2024. While she usually partners with Caroline Dolehide, it’ll be interesting to see how Desirae adapts on the court alongside Emma Navarro.
