Coco Gauff to miss Olympics after testing positive for virus

Updated: Jul 18, 2021 / 06:38 PM CDT

Coco Gauff of the U.S. plays against Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina during the women’s doubles third round match on day eight of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

TOKYO (AP) — U.S. tennis player Coco Gauff has tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing her to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics.

“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 on Sunday.

“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.”

Coco Gauff of the U.S. plays during the women’s doubles third round match against Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina on day eight of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The 17-year-old lost to Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court in the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this month. It was the second time she had lost at that stage after her breakthrough run at the All England Club in 2019..

Gauff is No. 25 in the WTA rankings.

“We were saddened to learn that Coco Gauff has tested positive for COVID-19 and will therefore be unable to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” the U.S. Tennis Association said in a statement.

“We wish her the best as she deals with this unfortunate situation and hope to see her back on the courts very soon. We know Coco will join all of us in rooting on the other Team USA members who will be traveling to Japan and competing in the coming days.”

The Olympics start on Friday in Tokyo and run until Aug. 8.