Coco Gauff has the second-best odds to win Olympic gold in women’s tennis. So, it normally wouldn’t be considered a huge upset if she finished first.
However, the gulf between her (+650) and Poland’s Iga Swiatek (-190) is large enough that it would absolutely be an eye-opening upset.
That's especially so because Swiatek has absolutely owned her.
It’s been a completely lopsided “rivalry” as Gauff’s only 1-11 in 12 career matches against Swiatek. The two most recently met in early June when the Polish superstar won 6-2, 6-4 in the French Open Semifinals.
To her credit, Gauff has an impressive career resume. After all, there’s a reason she ranks second in the world. Gauff has a grand slam under her belt, winning the 2023 US Open, and has also won six tournament titles.
Still, Swiatek’s accomplishments dwarf Gauff’s, which is why she’s the top ranked woman in the world. Swiatek won five grand slams and 30 total tournament titles.
Meanwhile, for whatever it’s worth, this might be a particularly emotional tournament for Gauff. She was picked for the 2020 Olympic Games at just 17-years-old, making her the second-youngest American woman's tennis player in history selected for the Summer Games. However, she tested positive for Covid-19 and had to withdraw.
Swiatek made her Olympic debut in those games as the sixth seed. She didn’t fare well though, falling to Spain’s Paula Badosa in a second-round upset.
Of course, while the expectations are that Gauff and Swiatek are on a collision course to meet in the finals, that’s hardly a guarantee. Their odds may be way ahead of everyone else, but they’ll need to navigate the likes of Japan’s Naomi Osaka (+2000), Czechia’s Barbora Krejcikova (+2200) Italy’s Jasmie Paolini (+2200) the United States’ Danielle Collins (+2500) and others to set up the Olympic showdown tennis fans are craving.
