The start of the 2024 Paris Olympics was special in so many ways, not the least of which was the starring role that many of the top Hologic WTA Tour competing in Paris played in it -- and a special surprise from some legends, too.
With three WTA players chosen as flag bearers for their nations (Coco Gauff, Danka Kovinic and Elina Svitolina) in Paris, tennis was already alive in Friday's opening ceremony. But it reached a new fever pitch in the closing stages of the more than four-hour spectacle, when Grand Slam winners Amélie Mauresmo, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams teamed up for the last leg of the iconic torch relay that finished with the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame.
Williams and Nadal, as well as legendary gymnast Nadia Comaneci and track and field icon Carl Lewis, came together to shepherd the flame on a speedboat down the Seine River -- which had earlier hosted the traditional Parade of Nations. When they reached dry land, the quartet handed the flame off to Mauresmo -- who high-fived her American former on-court rival before taking the baton as the first of several retired French stars who participated in the ceremony.
The cauldron was eventually lit by Teddy Riner and Marie-Jose Perec.
But hours earlier, thousands of athletes and staff who will be competing at this year's Games floated down the river on barges towards the Trocadéro, where the opening ceremony concluded.
The trio of WTA players who carried their national banners held a place of prominence in the boat parade, and each enjoyed the honor in her own ways.
But they weren't the only players to enjoy the fun.
Maria Sakkari was part of a Greek delegation that led off the parade as the historic birthplace of the Olympics.
Spirits remained bright even as rain fell -- as evidenced by Katie Boulter's recap of her experience with Team GB.
"One of the best nights of my life," the first-time Olympian wrote.
Another first-time Olympian, American Emma Navarro, agreed.
"No raining on this parade," she wrote.
The tennis competition runs through Aug. 3 at Roland Garros.
