Although American tennis star Coco Gauff failed to win a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the World No.2 left with several memories and experiences that will last a lifetime.
Gauff competed in all three tennis events, singles, doubles and mixed doubles but was unable to leave with a medal. In addition to spending time with athletes from other countries, Gauff was sure to take some souvenirs in the form of pictures with ATP legends Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. However, she revealed she refused to take one with Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz.
Olympic pins were used as currency, Alcaraz unable to pay up
The pin-trading tradition is one of the talking points of the Olympic village, where athletes attempt to collect as many badges as possible from other nations. Gauff revealed she was able to trade pins with Nadal and Murray, but stopped Alcaraz from getting in the picture with Nadal when the younger Spaniard failed to swap pins with her.
"I finally got a picture with Rafa and traded pins with him," explained Gauff. "Carlos didn’t have any pins so I didn’t let him get in the selfie. I finally got a picture with Andy which I always wanted to ask. The two goals were to get a picture with those two and ironically they were tennis players so I could have done it at any tournament!”
The reigning US Open champion is currently competing at the Canadian Open where she is the top seed. Despite her disappointment at the Paris Olympics, Gauff is eager to compete in all three events at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
"I would still do all three again if that’s a possibility in ‘28." admitted Gauff. "I mean it’s four years from now, I’ll be 24, so will still be on the healthier and younger side of things, and especially if the draw size for mixed is that small, I feel like that’s one everyone wants to play.”
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
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