Coco Gauff tests positive for COVID, won't compete in Tokyo Olympics
TOKYO -- U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff will not compete at the Tokyo Olympics after announcing she has tested positive for COVID.
The 17-year-old phenom took to Twitter on Sunday to share her disappointment over news that she tested positive for the virus.
"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. It has always been a dream of mine to represent the USA at the Olympics, and I hope there will be more chances for me to make this come true in the future. I want to wish TEAM USA best of luck and a safe games for ever Olympian and the entire Olympic family."
The 17-year-old lost to Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court in the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this month. It was the second time she had lost at that stage after her breakthrough run at the All England Club in 2019..
Gauff is No. 25 in the WTA rankings.
The U.S. Tennis Association released a statement on Sunday after Gauff's announcement:
"We were saddened to learn that Coco Gauff has tested positive for COVID-19 and will therefore be unable to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The entire USA Tennis Olympic contingent is heartbroken for Coco."
This comes after two South African soccer players became the first athletes inside the Olympic Village to test positive for COVID-19, with the Tokyo Games opening on Friday.
Organizers confirmed the positive tests on Sunday but didn't identify the athletes other than to say they were non-Japanese. The South African Football Association later confirmed there were three COVID-19 cases in its delegation - two players and a video analyst.
Gauff now becomes the third Olympic athlete to test positive for the virus so far.
The Olympics start on Friday in Tokyo and run until Aug. 8.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
