With the Olympics just around the corner, excitement is building all around the world as the hopes of many nations rely on a select few phenomenal athletes.
There are, as is always the case, set to be many new stars made in Paris this year, but with the tennis, things are different.
After all, the bulk of those competing are already household names, and those who will likely go far in the tournament will be those who we have seen time and time again in the latter stages of Grand Slam tournaments too.
America is a country that prides itself on being the best wherever possible, and they will be hoping that tennis can prove a profitable avenue to pick up some pivotal medals to rival their competitors.
Sam Querrey makes US prediction ahead of the Olympics
Speaking on NBC Sports, Sam Querrey was enlisted to review the American tennis opportunity at the upcoming Olympic Games.
Despite having defected to Pickleball in recent years, his contribution to the aforementioned sport still cannot be overlooked, having beaten Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon as well as Rafael Nadal in an ATP final.
So, when asked to pick the candidate most likely to bring home the gold medal from their tennis prospects, his answer was a simple one.
He noted: ‘I would say Coco Gauff. She is right up there the last couple of years. Final of the French Open, semi-final of the French. She has Iga in her way, but if she gets knocked out early or if Coco plays great and manages to beat her, she is one of the few that can, I am circling her for that best chance.’
Here’s every Team USA player going to play tennis at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
What Americans could do well at the Olympics alongside Coco Gauff?
As was expected to be the case, America boasts a star-studded lineup for both the men’s and certainly the women’s singles draw for the Paris 2024 games.
And whilst Gauff is the obvious choice to potentially bring home gold, Querrey touches upon one rather monumental hurdle that she faces in the form of Iga Swiatek.
So, despite being the highest-ranked American, facing such a dominant force on the clay, at the very site where the Polish superstars swept her away at Roland Garros earlier this year, arguably makes her far less likely to win the competition than most of the men.
Stars like Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro and Danielle Collins will hope to back up Gauff too.
Meanwhile, it is only really Taylor Fritz on the men’s side who stands a real chance of pushing for the gold medal, joined by Chris Eubanks and Marcos Giron.
The 2022 Indian Wells champion too faces stiff competition, but can feel buoyed by his renewed form on the clay at the French Open and its surrounding events.
If Swiatek takes an unlikely exit at any point in the competition, this American female contingent can feel confident of producing a winner.
However, if she clicks straight back into the same clay-court form as she was in earlier this year, it’s game over for the rest of the crowd.
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