US tennis teen Gauff to miss Olympics with COVID-19 positive

On Sunday, American tennis player Coco Gauff announced on social media that she will miss the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19. (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON: American teen tennis star Coco Gauff will miss the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, she announced on Sunday (Jul 18).

Gauff, coming off a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, tweeted her sadness at missing out on "a dream come true" at age 17.

"I am so disappointed to share the news that I have tested positive for COVID and won't be able to play in the Olympic Games in Tokyo," Gauff tweeted.

"It has always been a dream of mine to represent the USA at the Olympics and I hope there will be many more chances for me to make this come true in the future."

Gauff, who reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final at this year's French Open, became the latest tennis standout and US athlete to miss the Olympics.

World number 25 Gauff will be forced into Covid-19 quarantine and isolation protocols.

"I want to wish TEAM USA best of luck and a safe games for every Olympian and the entire Olympic family," Gauff tweeted.

Gauff won her second WTA singles title in May at Parma. She captured her first in 2019 at Linz.

The Olympics tennis event in Tokyo is missing a host of big names with major winners Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber and Bianca Andreescu all absent.

However, world number ones Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty both intend to play.