Gauff: I want an Olympic medal… that’s definitely a priority this year
Coco Gauff knows exactly what she wants from the 2024 tennis season.
“One of the goals I wrote down on my vision thing, vision note - in my phone - was to win a medal in the Olympics,” the 19-year-old American told the media after kicking off her campaign at the 2024 Australian Open.
“I'll be completely honest, I don't really care what event it is in. I feel like a gold, silver, or bronze, whatever medal it is, is one of those things it doesn't matter.”
Gauff, who claimed her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, knows that this year’s Olympic Tennis Event at Roland Garros offers a uniquely different experience to the Grand Slams - an opportunity to triumph for her country on the biggest stage in sport.
“Obviously I want to win in singles [but] I feel like I would appreciate it just as much whether it was in singles or doubles,” she said. “It's not the same to me as a slam I guess in a way.
“I just put ‘I want a medal at any of the events’. Ideally I would want to play all three. We'll have to see where I fall in the line-up, ranking-wise and all of that.
“The Olympics [are] a priority in both singles and doubles.”
An American has not won a singles medal at the Olympic Tennis Event since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova to win gold at London 2012.
They have enjoyed Olympic doubles success since then though, with Americans claiming gold, silver and bronze at Rio 2016 when Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands beating Rajeev Ram and Venus Williams to mixed doubles gold, and Sock and Steve Johnson combining for men’s doubles bronze.
Gauff, who is likely to compete in the women’s doubles alongside regular partner Jessica Pegula, should also have an opportunity for a third medal in the mixed doubles – not that those conversations have begun yet.
"I honestly haven't, like, really reached out to any men about playing Olympic mixed doubles," Gauff said. "I don't know if anyone's reached out to me unless they've dm’d me, which I haven't seen. Jess already plays with Austin [Krajicek], so I imagine I'm going to play with Rajeev [Ram] if he wants to play.
“I'd have to look. Last year was two mixed teams, last Olympics, but I don't know if it's the same thing. It would be pretty cool. I would be happy to play with whoever. I'll try my best to hold my side of the court."
The Paris 2024 Olympic Tennis Event takes place at Roland Garros on 27 July – 4 August. The entry list will be available here by 8 July.