TOKYO, JAPAN — Coco Gauff, a former American tennis player, will no longer be the captain of the US tennis team at the Tokyo Olympics. Her aspirations of participation in the Games have been dashed after she tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Representing the United States at the Olympics has always been a dream of mine, and I hope there will be many more opportunities for me to do so in the future,” the 17-year-old said in a message on her Twitter account.
“The entire USA Tennis Olympic contingent is heartbroken for Coco,” according to the USTA.
“We wish her the best as she struggles with this tragic situation and hope to see her back on the courts very soon,” the statement continued, adding that it knows she’ll be cheering on her colleagues.
In women’s singles, Jennifer Brady, Jessica Pegula, and Alison Riske will participate for the United States.
Gauff didn’t say if she’d been vaccinated or not. Vaccinated people can test positive for the coronavirus, but it’s less likely.
Gauff was named to lead the 12-member squad earlier this month, marking the first time in a quarter-century that there will be no Serena or Venus Williams on the roster. It was dubbed a “changing of the guard” by Team USA. Thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, and members of the media are expected to arrive in Tokyo. They are subjected to extensive coronavirus testing before leaving their home countries and must follow strict standards after they arrive in Japan to maintain their separation from the Japanese population and reduce the chance of an outbreak.
In the Olympic bubble, however, positive cases are beginning to emerge, including two athletes from the same team. Their positive tests on Sunday made them the first athletes in the Olympic village to test positive.
Reference:https://www.npr.org/2021/07/18/1017661844/u-s-tennis-star-coco-gauff-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-will-miss-tokyo-olympi
