Coco Gauff Becomes Youngest American Woman To Win A Singles Match At Olympics Since Venus Williams

Coco Gauff is leaving her mark on the Olympics with three victories so far. On Saturday, the 20-year-old won a doubles match alongside her teammate Jessica Pegula as well as a singles match against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic on Sunday. She also won her second-round singles match against Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle on Monday.

Her victory in the singles makes Gauff the youngest American woman to do so at an Olympic competition since Venus Williams in 2000. The tennis champion has more matches to play. She was entered in mixed doubles with Taylor Fritz.

“People in the (athletes) village are asking: ‘Oh, how many do you need to win?’” Gauff told ESPN . “I’m like, ‘I don’t know. I’m in three events, and I want to win all of them.’”

To collect a trio of gold medals, it would take her 15 victories — six in singles, five in women’s doubles and four in mixed doubles, according to ESPN’s report. No tennis player has done that since the sport returned to the Olympics in 1988.

“I’m not going to lie: I was more nervous in doubles than singles. I don’t know why. I think it’s just because it was the first match,” Gauff said. “And I think when you start off a tournament with a win, especially one like this, it just gives you more confidence.”

The Paris Olympics marks Gauff’s debut at the Summer Games. She tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the 2021 games in Tokyo.