Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, LeBron James and a lifelong Olympic memory | ATP Tour

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Fritz, Paul, LeBron James and an Olympic memory for a lifetime

Americans compete in the US for the first time since the Olympics this week in Cincinnati

August 12, 2024

LeBron James is one of the most recognizable people in the world. If you watched the basketball legend on television during the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, there were some familiar faces to tennis fans, including Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.

Since WTA star Coco Gauff is one of the flag bearers for the United States and James, the entire tennis team was invited in front of the American boat, which gave them time with James and the rest of the basketball team.

“It was really cool. It was amazing that Coco was the flag bearer, and it was amazing for all of us, because we kind of felt the opening ceremonies a little differently than all the other Americans, because we were in the front. and basketball players,” Fritz told ATPtour.com at the Cincinnati Open, where he was the 11th seed. “We were just at the front, we were on the boat for the opening ceremonies. It was one of the best events.”

James, who helped lead the United States to a gold medal in men’s basketball, posed for a photo with every American tennis player.

“It was cool. We had just boarded the Coco Gauff train. We were on top because of him, so it was nice to see him having his time,” said Paul. “Obviously it’s a no-brainer to be a senior at the Olympics, so that was really cool.”

The ATP tennis players who attended the Opening Ceremony – Fritz, Paul, Christopher Eubanks and Marcos Giron – also rode to the event on the same bus as their country’s basketball team, which was among the best in the world.

“Being on the bus with the American basketball team was really cool,” said Paul, the 10th seed in Cincinnati. “We didn’t talk much with them. I talked to Jrue Holiday a little bit, and Derrick White, but Bron, we just got a picture with him. I think he was talking to Coco most of the time.”

Fritz reached the third round in singles and Paul advanced to the quarter-finals, but they did not come home empty-handed. The Americans won bronze in men’s doubles, joining silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram as tennis medalists from the United States.

With the memories of a lifetime in hand, they will turn their attention to their first tournament in the United States since the Olympics, the Cincinnati Open.

Fritz said: “I think before the event started, before we could get the medal, that alone made me happy with my decision to go.”