WATCH: Coco Gauff jokingly refuses rugby star Ilona Maher's attempt to "relate" to her with "pickleball" claim in hilarious exchange at Paris Olympics
Coco Gauff engaged in some lighthearted banter with rugby star Ilona Maher at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Maher, in an attempt to relate to the reigning US Open champion, made a pickleball-related claim. However, the rugby star's trial led to Gauff jokingly walking away before the two eventually posed for the camera.
Gauff is set to make her Olympics debut this year, having missed out on the 2020 Games (held in 2021) due to an unfortunate COVID-19 diagnosis. The World No. 2 was additionally given the prestigious responsibility of being USA's women's flagbearer in Paris, with LeBron James designated as the men's flagbearer.
Meanwhile, for Maher, the 2024 Paris Olympics marks her second outing donning the jersey of the U.S. Women's sevens team. She appeared in the 2020 edition of the Games previously.
While in Paris, Gauff and Maher served up a hilarious, lighthearted exchange, which featured the rugby star trying to "relate" to the World No. 2 by telling the tennis ace that she had played pickleball one weekend. The reigning US Open champion jokingly walked a few steps away from Maher, saying:
"Pickleball? Wait, no!"
Watch the hilarious exchange unfold below:
Gauff is set to lock horns with Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the first-round of the women's singles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Victory for the 20-year-old will see her face either Maria Lourdes Carle or Tatjana Maria in the second round.
In the women's doubles event, Gauff will partner Jessica Pegula, with the pair being the No. 1 seed in the draw. They are slated to face Australians Daria Saville and Ellen Perez in the first round. Coco Gauff is slated to be in mixed doubles action as well, partnering Taylor Fritz. The Gauff-Fritz duo is seeded No. 2 in the mixed doubles draw.
Coco Gauff had a memorable time with LeBron James during the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony went ahead as planned despite the skies pouring down on the French capital. Coco Gauff was in great spirits as she shouldered the USA flagbearer responsibility alongside the legendary LeBron James. They recorded a video as well, which later made its way to social media.
In the video, Coco Gauff and LeBron James can be seen on a boat on the Seine River. Both beamed with pride with the USA flag beside them. They were on their phones, with James saying:
"Mama, we made it!"
Gauff proceeded to echo James' words.
The World No. 2 is one of the favorites for the women's singles gold medal at the Games thie year. Serena Williams was the last American woman to clinch Olympic gold in women's singles back in 2012 in London.