Jessie Diggins selected as U.S. flag bearer for closing ceremony

By OlympicTalkFeb 23, 2018, 8:47 AM EST

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Jessie Diggins will be the United States’ flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, the United States Olympic Committee said Friday.

The 26-year-old cross country skier was selected by fellow Team USA members to lead their delegation into Sunday’s ceremony.

“This is such an incredible honor for me,” Diggins said (via Team USA). “I’m really humbled and moved that the athletes voted for me.”

“Jessie’s breakthrough performances here in PyeongChang have been inspirational and historic, and her success is representative of years of teamwork and determination from all our athletes,” USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said. “I am proud that she has been recognized with the distinction of being our flag bearer for the closing ceremony.”

NBCOlympics.com: U.S. ends 42-year Olympic cross-country medal drought with historic gold

Diggins is the first cross-country skier to be selected as the United States flag bearer for the closing ceremony. Ice hockey forward Julie Chu led Team USA into the ceremony in 2014, while skier Bill Demong received the position to conclude the Vancouver Games.

The last 24 hours have been unbelievable! No, seriously. I still donâ€™t believe it happened. There are so many people who are a part of this first ever gold medal for our team and I canâ€™t thank them all the way Iâ€™d like to...but you know who you are. Those of you who put your lives on hold to coach us, wax for us, train grueling sessions alongside of us and push us through the tough times as well as celebrate the good times. To the ones up cheering at 3am in your pajamas to the ones cheering on the side of the race course. To all of you who believed in us from the start and cheered us through every small victory and picked us up from every fall. Thank you, this medal belongs to you as much as it does to me. â¤ï¸

A post shared by Jessie Diggins (@jessiediggins) on Feb 22, 2018 at 5:06am PST

“I have so much respect and admiration for everybody here and am beyond honored to be able to lead us out of these Games,” Diggins said.

Watch the incredible call as Randall and Diggins make history

2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 28, 2023, 5:15 PM EDT

At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

Main draw play began Sunday, live on Peacock.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Turning 22 during the tournament, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her most recent match with a right thigh injury last week and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

2023 French Open men’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 28, 2023, 5:00 PM EDT

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The French Open men’s singles draw is missing injured 14-time champion Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004, leaving the Coupe des Mousquetaires ripe for the taking.

Main draw play began Sunday, live on Peacock.

Novak Djokovic is not only bidding for a third crown at Roland Garros, but also to lift a 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy to break his tie with Nadal for the most in men’s history.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Women’s Draw

But the No. 1 seed is Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s U.S. Open to become, at 19, the youngest man to win a major since Nadal’s first French Open title in 2005.

Now Alcaraz looks to become the second-youngest man to win at Roland Garros since 1989, after Nadal of course.

Alcaraz missed the Australian Open in January due to a right leg injury, but since went 30-3 with four titles. Notably, he has not faced Djokovic this year. They could meet in the semifinals.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, who lost in the French Open first round in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, is improved on clay. He won the Italian Open, the last top-level clay event before the French Open, and is the No. 2 seed ahead of Djokovic.

No. 9 Taylor Fritz, No. 12 Frances Tiafoe and No. 16 Tommy Paul are the highest-seeded Americans, all looking to become the first U.S. man to make the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003. Since then, five different American men combined to make the fourth round on eight occasions.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

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