AP Photo/Ben Curtis
- 17-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff has dropped out of the Olympic Games
- In a message on Twitter, Gauff revealed she'd tested positive for COVID-19.
- On Sunday, it was revealed that two athletes from South Africa had also tested positive.
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Tennis star Coco Gauff announced on Sunday that she would be dropping out of the Tokyo Olympic games following a positive COVID-19 test.
The 17-year-old tennis phenom from Atlanta, Georgia, wrote on Twitter that she was "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."
"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," she continued.
Gauff went on to wish the US Olympic team "best of luck and a safe games for every Olympian and the entire Olympic family."
The United States Tennis Association responded to Gauff's news by tweeting that "the entire USA Tennis Olympic contingent is heartbroken for Coco."
"We wish her the best as she deals with this unfortunate situation and hope to see her back on the courts very soon," the tweet continued. "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."
Gauff is among several athletes who have tested positive since arriving at the Olympic Village in Tokyo. On Sunday, two members of South Africa's soccer team tested positive for the virus. The South African Olympic team has identified an additional 21 athletes who were in close contact with those players.
In total, 55 people with connections to the games - including athletes, Olympics employees, contractors, and journalists, have tested positive since July 1.
More than 15,000 athletes and staff from more than 200 countries and territories are expected at this year's games, which kick off on Friday, July 23.