Tokyo: American tennis star Coco Gauff pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19. Gauff, who is ranked 25th in the world put out a message on social media to announce her decision. She was to compete in the women’s singles event and partner Nicole Melichar in women’s doubles at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 17-year-old has been among the biggest gainers on the WTA rankings list this year after reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon fourth round. “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,” she tweeted.
🙏🏾❤️🤍💙 pic.twitter.com/lT0LoEV3eO
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) July 18, 2021
“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. I want to wish TEAM USA best of luck and safe games for every Olympian and the entire Olympic family,” she wrote.
Coco was scheduled to lead the 12-member US tennis team into the Olympics, which would have marked the first Olympics in 25 years without Serena and Venus Williams. Meanwhile, the two athletes who were reported to have caught COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics Village on Sunday were identified as Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi.
Great Britain’s preparations for the Tokyo Olympics were also hit hard after six athletes and two staff members from the athletics squad were forced to self-isolate after coming into close contact with a member of the public who had COVID-19 on their flight to Tokyo.
Meanwhile, in the latest development, Czech beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic has tested positive for COVID-19 in the Tokyo Olympic Village.
