Tennis star Coco Gauff will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
And the announcement of the news had the city of Atlanta written all over it.
Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion who is a former Atlanta resident, is set to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games and will be the first tennis athlete to carry the U.S. flag. And how did Gauff find out about the honor?
In a surprise announcement from Olympian Christopher Eubanks, a former Georgia Tech player also making his Olympic debut. And a very proud native Atlantan.
The moment was captured on social media. Eubanks talked about how he and Gauff “have been really close since a young age” and her recent high level of success on the court. Once the news was revealed, a stunned Gauff embraced Eubanks and said, “I wasn’t expecting this at all.”
So, it could be said the worldwide news was presented from one Atlantan to another.
The 20-year-old Gauff made the American team for the Tokyo Games three years ago as a teenager but had to sit out those Olympics because she tested positive for COVID-19 right before she was supposed to fly to Japan.
Now Gauff, who is based in Florida, is a Grand Slam title winner in singles and doubles. She won her first major championship in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, then added her first Grand Slam doubles trophy at the French Open this June alongside Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
The same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open will be where matches are going to be held for the Paris Olympics. The draw to set the brackets is Thursday, and play begins Saturday.
Eubanks will make his Olympic debut along with five other first-time Olympians on the team. The Atlanta native made his deepest run at Wimbledon in 2023, defeating two top-15 seeds to reach the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam. The run came after Eubanks collected his first ATP Tour title, claiming the Mallorca Championship trophy earlier that month.
Credit: ArLuther Lee
Credit: ArLuther Lee
Currently ranked No. 44 in the world, Eubanks reached a career-high ranking of No. 29 in July 2023.
The former Tech standout turned professional in 2017. He was a two-time All-American and twice named ACC player of the year.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
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