USA’s Top Tennis Players Thrilled To Compete at Paris 2024
by Peggy Shinn
Taylor Fritz and Emma Navarro are having their best seasons ever. Earlier in July, the two U.S. tennis players made headlines after making it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
They aren’t the only Team USA tennis players having banner seasons. Tommy Paul also made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon but took Carlos Alcaraz to four sets in the, Danielle Collins is a 2022 Australian Open finalist, Jessica Pegula made the Wimbledon quarterfinals in women’s doubles this year, and Coco Gauff, ranked number 2 in the world and Pegula’s doubles partner at Wimbledon, is the reigning U.S. Open champion.
But what tournament are they most excited about this year? Tennis at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
“It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of us, and it's one of the highest honors you can have as an athlete,” said Collins, “so it's a no brainer to be here.”
The trick with the Olympic tennis tournament this year is the surface. Roland-Garros, with its infamous red clay tennis courts, is hosting the tournament, and clay is a surface that the world’s top tennis players typically only play on in the spring leading up to the French Open. This time of year, they are usually transitioning from the grass of Wimbledon to the hard courts of the U.S. Open series.
“It was always the plan [to play in the Olympic Games],” said Paul, who won the 2015 French Open junior title at Roland-Garros. “When you get the call up for the Olympics, it's hard to turn it down in my opinion.”
“I’d play even if it was on carpet,” joked Navarro, who only realized a couple of months ago that she might have the opportunity to play in her first Olympic Games.
In a pre-Olympic press conference, the U.S. players were relaxed and joking, excited to live in the Athlete Village for the next two weeks. Chris Eubanks, who nominated Gauff to be Team USA’s female flagbearer in the Opening Ceremony, described moving into the Village like the first day of college.
“You go up, put your bags in your room, you find out who your roommates are and then you go down and get food,” said Eubanks. “You're walking around, and everyone has those bright eyes.”
U.S. coach Bob Bryan has a good perspective on the Games. A 16-time Grand Slam winner in men’s doubles with twin brother Mike, Bryan is also a two-time Olympic medalist. The Bryan brothers won a bronze medal in men’s doubles at the 2008 Olympic Games and gold in 2012.
“The Olympics is one of those events, it's very different than normal tennis tournaments,” explained Bryan. “Like Chris said, moving into his room in the Village and just seeing the vast expanse of athletes, and food is like a airplane terminal. … It's amazing, the energy. It’s a lot of hope.”
“Winning Wimbledon might be more important when you're in that [tennis] bubble,” Bryan added. “But when I take that gold medal to career day at my kids’ school, they freak out. That's all they want to hold.”
Navarro — who dominated TV coverage just two weeks ago during Wimbledon — described meeting Katie Ledecky in the elevator at the Village. Pegula wondered if the U.S. tennis players could stand next to their flagbearer teammate (Gauff) during the Opening Ceremony.
“Do we get to stand next to LeBron too?” joked Pegula, referring to Team USA’s male flagbearer, basketball legend LeBron James.
All kidding aside, when competition starts on Saturday, the U.S. team is in the medal conversation. Fritz has done well on clay this season, making the quarterfinals in Rome and semifinals in Madrid. He is competing in men’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles (with Gauff).
“I want to get myself as many chances as possible to play in the Olympics,” he explained. “It happens every four years.”