WASHINGTON (Dispatches) -American tennis star Coco Gauff will not compete at the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, the American tennis star tweeted.
Gauff, 17, was to play in her first Olympic games, becoming the youngest Olympic tennis player since 2000. With Serena Williams opting not to play, she was arguably the biggest name in the U.S. talent pool for the tournament.
Team USA consists of 15th-ranked Jennifer Brady, Jessica Pegula and 35th-ranked Alison Riske in singles. Pegula, currently ranked 27th in the world, is the daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula. Nicole Melichar and Bethanie Mattek-Sands are the discretionary, doubles-only selections.
There are a maximum of four spots for each country based on the world rankings after the French Open. Williams and Sofia Kenin qualified, but declined spots. Venus Williams, the most decorated Olympic tennis player in history, did not qualify in singles.
Athletes and media members are arriving in Tokyo for the rescheduled Olympics, which are set to begin Friday. There are safety protocols in place to help slow and/or stop the spread of COVID-19 in a country that is largely unvaccinated.
Cases of COVID-19 in Tokyo were up 55 percent on Friday from one week prior. It was the 27th consecutive day of week-over-week increases as the Delta variant takes hold in places around the world. They were at a six-month high earlier in the week.