Coco Gauff reacts to her heart-warming exchange with track and field star Tara Davis-Woodhall being captured on camera after Paris Olympics 1R win
Coco Gauff lovingly reacted to a heartwarming moment she shared with track and field star Tara Davis-Woodhall at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics. The moment came shortly after Gauff sealed her women's singles first-round win over Ajla Tomljanovic on Sunday, July 28.
Gauff marked her singles debut at the prestigious Games emphatically, as she brushed aside Tomljanovic with resounding ease. While the Australian tried her best to keep up with the World No. 2 in the first set, in the second, she had absolutely no solutions up her sleeve for the problems that Gauff posed.
Ultimately, the reigning US Open champion progressed to the second round in style, winning 6-4, 6-0.
After shaking hands with Tomljanovic at the net, Gauff celebrated with the Court Phillipe-Chatrier crowd cheering her on vociferously. Among those cheering for her at Roland Garros was track and field athlete Tara Davis-Woodhall.
The World No. 2 turned to Davis-Woodhall and waved at her before blowing flying kisses the track and field star's way. The reigning US Open champion also made a heart sign towards Davis-Woodhall.
Davis-Woodhall later found out on Instagram that the moment was captured on camera, and the 25-year-old was quick to share a post about it. The track and field star shared the video on her Instagram Story, captioning it:
"Wait someone captured our moment"
Later, Gauff took notice of Davis-Woodhall's post and reshared it with a caption of her own.
"Love this," Gauff wrote on her own Instagram Story.
The reigning US Open champion had earlier penned a thankful post as well, appeciating the fact that Davis-Woodhall had made her way to Court Phillipe-Chatrier to catch the World No. 2 in action.
"Saw this star mid match!! Thanks for coming @_taarra_ (three heart emojis)," Gauff wrote.
Davis-Woodhall is making her second Olympics appearance this year, having previously finished sixth in the women's long jump final at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She qualified for this year's Games in Paris by winning the women's long jump final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
Coco Gauff became the youngest Olympics flagbearer for the USA this year, proudly represented Team USA alongside NBA legend LeBron James in the opening ceremony
Gauff became the USA'S youngest flagbearer at the Olympics. Her ATP colleague Christopher Eubanks broke the news to her, leaving her in disbelief. The World No. 2 later accompanied men's flagbearer, NBA legend LeBron James, on a boat as the proud duo made their way around Paris' iconic Seine river on a boat.
The reigning US Open champion later told CNN about her feelings after she was selected as the women's flagbearer.
"It took a while for it to sink in, (it still hasn’t really) sunken in. So many people are coming up to say congratulations, not just from Team USA but from other sports and countries as well. I don’t think it will, until maybe a year from now or something because I think it’s just going to be one of those things like, ‘I can’t believe I just did that.’," Gauff told CNN.
The World No. 2 made a winning start in doubles alongside Jessica Pegula as well. Gauff is also set to play a part in the mixed doubles event, where she is slated to pair up with Taylor Fritz.