Paris Olympics 2024: Coco Gauff's projected path to Gold Medal

Coco Gauff will make history as America’s first tennis flag bearer at the Olympics.

Coco Gauff will lead the USA’s tennis contingent at the Paris Olympics, marking a remarkable leap in her career despite it being her debut Games. Set to make her Olympic debut at just 17 in Tokyo 2020, a positive COVID-19 test dashed Gauff’s dreams, but her swift rise has now earned her the honor of being America’s flagbearer alongside the legendary Lebron James.

The 21-year-old has one Grand Slam title following her victory from a set down against Aryna Sabalenka at the 2023 US Open. However, her clay court performances have been modest, with her singles campaign at the 2024 French Open ending against Iga Swiatek. Despite this, Gauff triumphed in the women’s doubles and will aim to replicate that success at the Olympics.

Reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek will enter the competition as a clear favorite, with Gauff coming across as one of her biggest challenges on the path to glory. In addition to the singles event, the American will also feature in women’s doubles with Jessica Pegula and mixed doubles with Taylor Fritz.

Since the 2012 London Games, no American has claimed a medal in the women’s singles or doubles category. Gauff, entrusted with the responsibility of leading her country in the sport, will hope to put her nation back on the podium in tennis.

Let’s take a look at Coco Gauff’s projected path to reach the 2024 Olympic finals.

Round 1: Ajla Tomljanovic

Coco Gauff’s first challenge will be in the form of Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic, who is recovering from an injury she sustained last year. As a result, the 31-year-old hasn’t played a lot of tournaments. She finished as a runner-up in the Birmingham Classic, losing to Yulia Putintseva in the finals.

This is going to be the first meeting between the two players. But with limited game-time for the Australian compared to Gauff, who has played several events over the past year, the 21-year-old American is expected to emerge victorious in their first-round clash.

 Round 2: Tatjana Maria

Tatjana Maria hasn’t had a good season so far in 2024. With a modest record of 17-21 along with multiple first or second-round exits, the German’s chances don’t look too promising against the American tennis star.

The duo have faced each other before at the ASB Classic last year, with Gauff winning the match comprehensively in straight sets. The 21-year-old is expected to repeat her heroics when she turns up against the German in the second round of the Games.

Round 3: Donna Vekic

After two easy rounds to begin with, Gauff will face her first test against 2024 Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic. The Croatian had a remarkable run in the grass-court tournament, and with better composure at crucial moments, she could have very well advanced to the finals.

However, the 28-year-old hasn’t been able to translate her grass form on clay. With a 3-3 record on clay and a lackluster French Open campaign, her difficulties on this surface are evident. Against the more versatile Coco Gauff, an intriguing third-round matchup awaits, but the American is expected to prevail in the end.

Quarter-Final: Maria Sakkari

Coco Gauff is set to face 7th-seeded Maria Sakkari in a potential quarterfinal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 29-year-old, who has had a mixed season with a 21-15 win/loss record and a notable BNP Paribas Open final appearance, has struggled on clay with a 7-4 record this year.

Her difficulties were highlighted during the 2024 French Open, where despite being the 6th seed, she lost in her first game to an unseeded opponent. The Greek player leads 5-3 in the head-to-head against the American, having won their most recent encounter at the BNP Paribas Open semifinals. However, their clay-court record is tied 1-1, setting the stage for a competitive clash.

Semi-final: Jasmine Paolini/Jessica Pegula

Gauff is likely to face either 4th seed Jasmine Paolini or 5th seed Jessica Pegula in the Olympics semi-final. The 2024 French Open and Wimbledon finalist will certainly fancy her chances against Pegula and is likely to finish in the top four. The Italian has had a dream run and has fallen just short of a Grand Slam title win twice in the last six months.

However, the US would love to see a Gauff-Pegula clash, as it would not only guarantee a gold or silver medal but also give the loser a shot at bronze. As per the recent form, the Gauff vs. Paolini match seems more likely at the Olympic stage.

Finals: Iga Swiatek

Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek has the golden chance of winning her maiden Olympic gold. She enters the competition as a clear favorite, as Gauff trails 0-5 to Swiatek on clay.

In the 2024 French Open semi-final, the Pole stunned the American in straight sets before lifting the accolade with a win over Paolini in the summit clash. The fact that the Italian managed to win just three games in the entire match underlines Swiatek’s clay prowess.

However, only time will tell if one of these two promising players can secure the gold medal or if the world number one will continue her dominance on her favorite court.

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