Coco Gauff speaks on the solidarity among US athletes at the Olympics - "It feels like we've known each other for a long time"

American tennis prodigy Coco Gauff is experiencing her first Olympics as a singles competitor at the 2024 Olympic Games, and the World No.2 has revealed how much she enjoys being around her fellow US athletes.

The World No.2 recorded an easy 6-1 6-1 victory over Argentine Maria Lourdes Carle in her second round match on Monday. Gauff has been impressive at the summer games in Paris, with the event being held on the clay courts of Roland Garros. However, the American also seems to be enjoying mingling with her compatriots from other sporting disciplines.

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The reigning US Open champion was chosen as the female flag-bearer for America at the Olympics opening ceremony, alongside NBA superstar LeBron James. In addition to meeting James for the first time, Gauff also got the opportunity to share memories with other Olympic stars, including sprinters Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, gymnasts Simone Biles and Suni Lee, swimmer Katie Ledecky and “almost all the track team.”

“It's crazy just being with the athletes in the village,” said Gauff. “All of us rooting for each other when we obviously don't know each other, but it feels like we've known each other for a long time. I was hanging with some of the track athletes last night.”

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In a show of solidarity, some of those track athletes came to support Coco in her first-round singles match. Like college, the athletes are randomly assigned roommates in the Olympic Village. Gauff’s tennis teammates have moved to other quarters during the Olympic tournament, but she has chosen to remain in the Village. She’s now sharing an apartment with Team USA archer Catalina GNoriega and table tennis player Lily Zhang.

“It’s really cool learning about new sports,” said Gauff, who’s become interested in fencing at these Olympic Games. “Every Olympics, I try to learn the rules to a new sport. I got a little bit of fencing knowledge [from Lauren Scruggs, Olympic silver medalist in women’s foil] and am enjoying watching it."