Sports
US Open Champ Coco Gauff Calls On Young Americans To Get Out And Vote. ‘Use The Power That We Have’
ROME – She won the U.S. Open. The best-paid female athlete in the world. And a disgruntled Floridian.
American tennis player Coco Gauff has always been eager to use her voice.
Not when she was 16 and gave an impromptu speech at a Black Lives Matter event. And not now, at the age of 20, when she will be voting for the first time in a presidential election in the United States later this year.
Gauff, one of the favorites when the French Open begins on Sunday in Paris, recently spoke with The Associated Press about the present political situation in her home state.
She commented that it’s “a crazy time to be a Floridian, especially a Black one.”
Gauff | Britannica
US Open Champ Coco Gauff Calls On Young Americans To Get Out And Vote. ‘Use The Power That We Have’
Gauff referred to a two-year debate over removing books from Florida schools that started with a bill that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed, saying, “We aren’t happy with the current state of our government in Florida, especially everything with the books and just the way our office operates.”
Last month, DeSantis backtracked on the measure by signing a bill that limited its scope. He accused liberal activists of violating the law rather than the individuals whose objections to specific books account for the majority of book withdrawals from school libraries and classrooms.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to the youth and the community being outspoken,” Gauff told the Italian Open last week. “So I encourage everyone to vote and to utilize their voice, regardless of who they vote for. There’s no point whining about the world’s political atmosphere if you don’t vote.”
Gauff has been speaking out against racial inequality and police violence since her 2020 statement in front of Delray Beach’s City Hall.
“I feel like sometimes in my generation, people think their vote doesn’t count,” Gauff explained. “We should just all just use our voices and use the power that we have.”
When contacted about Gauff’s comments in an email, DeSantis’ staff chose not to directly address them, instead saying the state is “thriving.”
Gauff will not be advocating for any specific candidate in the general election.
“I will keep who I vote for to myself,” she replied. “I’m not publicly backing any candidate.”
Gauff remains a well-known character in the Delray Beach neighborhood. In March, she revealed rebuilt courts at the public park where she used to play. She’s also been playing with the coordinates of the Pompey Park courts imprinted on the toes of her left tennis sneaker.
Gauff’s father, Corey, wrote on the toes of her right sneaker, “You can change the world with your racket.”
Teen Success
guaff | AP news Image
US Open Champ Coco Gauff Calls On Young Americans To Get Out And Vote. ‘Use The Power That We Have’
Gauff became the first American teenager to win the U.S. Open since Serena Williams did so in 1999.
According to the sports-business publication Sportico, Gauff became the world’s highest-paid female athlete last year, earning $22.7 million in prize money and endorsements thanks to her New York crown.
She had already made a name for herself as the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history at 15, and she advanced to the fourth round in her Grand Slam debut in 2019. Then, in the 2022 French Open, she made her first major final and finished second to Iga Swiatek.
Snails with Hot Chocolate
Gauff believes she still has unfinished business in Paris after losing to Swiatek at Roland Garros in 2022.
Because Paris is her favorite place.
She initially visited the city when she was 10 years old and was offered to train at Patrick Mouratoglou’s academy, Williams’ former coach.
The city where she won her first junior Grand Slam championship, the French Open girls’ trophy, in 2018.
“I fell in love with the city because I went at such a young age and it felt so magical and I think that feeling has just stayed with me,” Gauff explained.
While she’s still learning to speak French—”I’ve been on and off learning since I was really 10 years old. But one day, hopefully, I’ll get there” — Gauff has developed an appetite for Paris’ culinary delights.
So, what foods does she enjoy in Paris?
“A lot of croissants, certainly. Escargot is something I like. I know it’s hit or miss with some folks, but don’t be too concerned about the snails,” Gauff explained. “Crème brûlée is pleasant. And foie gras is tasty. In addition, there is hot chocolate. There is good hot chocolate in Paris.”
MET ZENDAYA
Zendaya, who stars in the tennis film “Challengers,” has yet to meet.
Brad Gilbert, Gauff’s coach, served as Zendaya’s tennis adviser for the film, and the actress recently expressed her desire to meet Coco.
“It’s kind of her court,” Gauff added. “I’m not sure because we are both busy. But it’s going to happen. I simply don’t know when.”
Zendaya sent flowers to Gauff to celebrate her U.S. Open victory after Gilbert revealed the player’s home address
Could Gilbert function as a go-between for Zendaya and Gauff’s meeting?
“I think Zendaya has way more pull than Brad does,” Gauff laughed.
This year at Roland Garros, the third-ranked Gauff aims for more than simply the French Open. She also hopes to win gold in multiple events at the Paris Olympics.
Gauff | ABC News Image
US Open Champ Coco Gauff Calls On Young Americans To Get Out And Vote. ‘Use The Power That We Have’
Tennis will be played in Roland Garros during the Olympics, and Gauff is particularly motivated after missing the Tokyo Games due to a coronavirus infection.
“It’s at the top of my priority list,” said Gauff, who wants to play singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. “Winning a medal would mean almost as much as completing the Grand Slam. While I would want a Grand Slam, I would prefer a gold medal in doubles. I want to win a medal.
“It’s just something unique that I can relate to, like a track athlete or a gymnastic athlete,” said Gauff.
While Gauff does not intend to live in the Athletes community full-time — “because I heard the village is far from Roland Garros” — she does have a list of Olympians from different sports she wishes to meet.
Simone Biles is ranked first, followed by Sha’Carri Richardson and Katie Ledecky.
“Maybe some WNBA players, too,” Gauff added. “I don’t know if Caitlin Clark is going to make the USA team, but that would be cool.”
SOURCE – (AP)
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics promises to be unlike any other.
In a novelty for the Games, the show will be held on Paris’ famed River Seine rather than in a stadium.
Here is everything you need know about the ceremony…
What to expect from the spectacular opening ceremony.
The eye-catching celebration will take place over a 6km stretch of the Seine. It will start at Austerlitz Bridge and culminate among the gardens, fountains, and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero.
Almost 100 boats will carry over 10,000 athletes and dignitaries as they cruise past Paris’ prominent monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Neuf.
The boats will transport the parade’s participants as well as the artistic portion of the celebration, which will highlight Paris and France’s history and culture.
The performers’ identities, however, have been kept a mystery.
Thousands of people are still expected to line the river and streets, with millions more watching on television all over the world.
“I’d like to show France in all its diversity,” said Thomas Jolly, the French actor and theatre director appointed as the ceremony’s creative director, a post previously played by Danny Boyle in London 2012.
“Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration.”
The ceremony will also involve the ceremonial opening of the Games, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Many of the finer elements have been maintained as a surprise.
What is the date and time of the opening ceremony?
The ceremony will commence at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST) on Friday, July 26.
It is scheduled to take little under four hours, with the last parts taking place as the sun sets over the French city.
Fortunately, the Paris weather forecast for Friday evening is positive.
In what sequence will the nations be introduced?
In accordance with tradition, Greece will be the first nation introduced during the ceremony.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, an NBA star, is one of their flagbearers for the games.
Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team, with hosts France being the last to be unveiled.
Because of their countries’ involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes participating as individuals will not participate.
How to follow the opening ceremony on BBC.
The opening ceremony will begin live at 17:45 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide radio coverage beginning at 19:00 BST.
There will also be live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app, bringing you all the action from Paris.
Source: BBC
Sports
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
PARIS — Coco Gauff, a tennis player, will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the United States Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Coco, the reigning US Open winner, is ready to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, becoming the first tennis player to carry the American flag. Team USA athletes selected her and James.
“I believe the Olympics are the priority. It’s equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below because I’d never played before. “This is my first time,” Gauff explained earlier this year. “I always want to do well and get a medal.”
Coco Gauff | AP News Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
Coco and James, the 39-year-old NBA’s all-time top scorer, engage in sports outside the traditional Olympic realm and receive media attention year-round rather than every four years.
Coco, 20, joined the American team for the Tokyo Olympics as a youngster three years ago but had to withdraw because she tested positive for COVID-19 just before flying to Japan.
Coco, who now lives in Florida, has won Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles. She earned her first major triumph in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, and then won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June with Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova.
The Paris Olympics will be played on the same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open. The bracket draw will take place on Thursday, and play will begin on Saturday.
Coco is seeded second in singles, matching her current WTA ranking behind Poland’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and will be one of the medal favorites.
Coco Gauff | AP news Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
She and her normal doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded first in the women’s doubles. Gauff may also compete in mixed doubles; however, those pairs have yet to be determined.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I want to fully enjoy the experience,” Gauff said of her Olympic debut. “Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
SOURCE | AP
When LeBron James was chosen for his first Olympics in 2004, he was unsure what the opening ceremony entailed.
This time, he’ll be a star of the show.
His fellow American Olympians chose James to be the male flagbearer for the United States at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday night. He is the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the United States flag at the start of an Olympics, following Dawn Staley in 2004 and Sue Bird in 2021.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James told reporters. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”
The 39-year-old James learned of the distinction Monday in London, just hours before the United States men’s team was supposed to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said on the video announcing his nomination.
“He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion,” Curry pointed out. “And the work speaks for itself.”
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The female U.S. flagbearer is anticipated to be revealed on Tuesday. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee announced that country delegations would have two flagbearers at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, one male and one female, to encourage gender equality. The United States is set to send around 600 competitors to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% women.
“Being chosen by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor—and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and dedication to his sport,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion, and the league’s all-time leading scorer about to begin his record-tying 22nd NBA season, is set to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time, having previously won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008, and gold again in London in 2012. He participated in the opening ceremony at his previous three Olympics.
This will be an unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony, with thousands of participants sailing along the River Seine at nightfall toward the Eiffel Tower. According to Olympic officials, the route is a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) one, with some 320,000 spectators expected to watch from the river bank and an estimated 1 billion more watching on televisions around the world.
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Not all Olympic athletes attend the opening ceremony; many miss it for logistical reasons, such as having to compete the next day. James and the four-time defending gold champion U.S. men shall begin Olympic competition on Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.
James and the American Olympians will have to wait longer than virtually any other nation for their voyage on the Seine. According to IOC protocol, Greece will lead the march, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as one of its two flagbearers. The Refugee Olympic Team and over 200 more national delegations will follow. The United States is slated to be next-to-last in the procession because Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics in 2028.
As the host, France will be the last nation to participate in the opening ceremony procession. Its men’s basketball team, which includes reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, begins Olympic competition on Saturday and is not scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
SOURCE | AP
-
World2 weeks agoFormer President Trump Survives Being Shot at Pennsylvania Rally
-
Tech4 weeks ago
Huawei Launches 5G-A Pioneers Program at MWC Shanghai 2024: Paving the Way for a Connected Future
-
Sports4 weeks ago
NBA Draft: Kyle Filipowski Withdraws Unexpectedly From The First Round
-
Tech4 weeks ago
ChatGPT Answers Undiscovered Questions and Outperforms Students.
-
News4 weeks ago
US Supreme Court Rejects Drug Deal that Protects the Sackler Family
-
Health4 weeks ago
US Health Agency Issues Dengue Virus Infection Warning
