2024 Olympics: U.S. women's soccer team dominates Zambia in 3-0 win (2024)

Tennis star Elina Svitolina to carry Ukrainian flag in opening ceremony

Sean Nevin

Gabe Joselow

Sean Nevin and Gabe Joselow

Black American women competing in the 2024 Olympics are in a massive spotlight — and so is their hair.

Kendall Ellis, a 28-year-old sprinter, said she’s planning to highlight her kinky hair texture when she competes in Paris. After she qualified for the Olympics, she said, “it was one of the first things I thought about!” Ellis said she plans to wear a sew-in — hair extensions sewn over her braided hair — that is similar to her natural hair texture.

“I want to do a more natural-looking style, because I think it’s important to have that representation on such a large stage,” Ellis said.

Read the full story here.

The second half of the women's soccer match against Zambia was markedly slower compared to the aggressive beginning led by the American offense.

Though Team USA has taken at least 11 more shots in the second half, nothing sank to the back and the 3-0 lead has held firm. Zambia made a few solid attempts to put at least one goal on the scoreboard, but they failed to make any impact.

To Zambia's credit, the team managed to hold off the Americans despite losing Zulu to a red card and playing the entire second half a woman down.

The USWNT take the win as they approach a tough match against Germany on Sunday afternoon.

Reporting from Paris

A strong Australian defensive effort bottled up the United States in an 18-0 quarterfinal win. The Eagles will play in a consolation bracket in hopes of finishing in fifth place.

Reporting from Paris

Corey Toole's try gave Australia a 10-0 lead late in the first half as the Americans have struggled to take possession or muster much of an attack.

Reporting from Paris

James Turner's try gave Australia an early 5-0 lead over the United States in the rugby sevens quarterfinals.

Some of America's strongest players have been substituted out with roughly 30 minutes left of the game as their team holds firm to its lead.

Rodman has been swapped out for Casey Kreuger; Swanson is out for Jenna Nighswonger; and team captain Horan has been replaced with Emily Sonnett. This gives some of the team's starters an opportunity to rest as they prepare to face Germany in a few days.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has warned his counterpart in the French government of an Iran-backed plot to attack Israelis during the Olympic Games.

"We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other terrorist organizations who aim to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics," Katz said in a letter to French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.

"This concern underscores the importance of our shared commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all participants," Katz added. He did not provide details about the evidence assembled by the Israeli government.

In a statement to Reuters, the Iranian mission to the United Nations denied the accusation.

Zambia may be down a player but its defense is stepping up as it stops yet another American drive early in the second half.

Rodman was joined by Lynn Williams and Korbin Albert as all three made successive attempts to score in the first few minutes of the second half. But Zambian players swarmed in front of the goal to block each shot, the final shot by Albert blocked by the African goalkeeper.

Reporting from Paris

The United States plays its quarterfinal rugby sevens match at 4:30 p.m. ET against Australia, in a contest that'll be carried on Peaco*ck.

A U.S. victory would send the Eagles into the semifinals Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. A loss would place Team USA into a consolation bracket on Saturday at 9 a.m., competing for fifth place.

The women's soccer team led a powerful first half in its game against Zambia, leading the match 3-0, but the Americans are not without their own mistakes.

Team USA led in ball possession and dominated as it pressured its opponents, but it is notable that only three goals were scored despite 16 shots fired. A persistent attack on the goal in the 15th minute offered no reward despite four different players getting opportunities within seconds of one another.

Rodman also missed an easy goal just before the half ended, missing a header off a free kick while she was wide open. She also received a yellow card as she struggled to come to a stop as she came up from behind a Zambian player.

The women's team has obviously come to exert its force as a powerhouse, but small mistakes may come to haunt it later on in the tournament. Though the USWNT won the 2019 World Cup, it fell short at the Olympics in Tokyo and was knocked out in last year's World Cup in the team's earliest exit ever.

Reporting from Paris

The mascot for this year's Paris Games might be a hat, but to the French that little red cap is a reminder of the fight for liberation centuries ago.

French revolutionaries wore phryge caps throughout their fight for societal change, including when Parisians stormed the Bastille prison in July 1789, to identify those who were part of the revolutionary government.

Former French King Louis XVI had ordered revolutionaries to be arrested and housed as political prisoners at the Bastille as the starving lower class sought equality and freedom during the country's economic crisis.

While many Olympic mascots can be hated, many French citizens love the red cap that has come to symbolize their ancestors' pursuit for liberation.

Officials have been asked for a VAR review of a penalty by Zambia, delaying a free kick by Lavelle.

The review led to a red card against Pauline Zulu, forcing the player off the field in tears. Her ejection will further hamper the Zambian team as they struggle against an aggressive offense by Team USA.

Swanson is having a killer game tonight in Nice as she scores back-to-back goals against Zambia.

Her first goal was a display of teamwork as team captain Horan threaded the ball right in front of Swanson, who took the opportunity to sink the ball into the net.

But Swanson didn't relent and scored a second just a minute later, this time assisted by Smith.

Rodman finally breaks through with a goal after the American women's continued attacks fell short early on in the game.

The goal comes after multiple shots were denied by the crossbar in minute 15 of the game. Mallory Swanson's first attempt was rebounded, then another miss by Horan, then again by Rodman and finally a miss by Lavelle.

The team surrounded Rodman with glee as she finally made the scoreboard at minute 17.

The American women are putting aggressive pressure on Zambia in the first few minutes, though nothing has sank into the net just yet.

Horan made a second missed attempt at the goal at the four-minute mark quickly followed by an attempt by Sophia Smith. But Smith's goal was blocked in a clean save by Zambia's goalkeeper.

Trinity Rodman and Dunn also missed their own goals in back-to-back attacks in the ninth minute.

Gabi Nunes scored Brazil's only goal in their victory against Nigeria in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Despite even possession from both teams, Brazil scored the decisive goal in the 24th minute when playmaker Marta found Nunes.

With Brazil's victory, they are now tied at 3 points with Spain in women's Group C. Their next match takes place Sunday against Japan, who lost to Spain in their opening match 2-1.

The U.S. women's national soccer team are starting their first game of the Olympic tournament with a match against Zambia in Nice, France.

Fans of the women's team will be happy to see some familiar names including World Cup champions Rose Lavelle, Crystal Dunn and of course team captain Lindsey Horan. There is, however, the notable absence of Alex Morgan, who did not make this year's national team.

Horan started off strong with an attempt on goal in the first minute of play but missed.

Germany defeated Australia with a comfortable 3-0 win in their first match of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Goals courtesy of Marina Hegering, Lea Schueller and Jule Brand set the tone, as Germany dominated possession.

Germany's next match takes place Sunday against the United States.

Germany's strong form continues in its opening women's soccer match, as it takes a 3-0 lead with a goal from Jule Brand in the 68th minute.

Handball is the latest sport to get underway in Paris. But don't expect to see any Team USA contingent — both the men's and the women's teams failed to qualify and it is one of five Olympic sports in which the U.S. has never medaled.

So how does the sport work?

Think of it as pretty much soccer played with the hands instead of the feet. Played on courts a little bit larger than those used in the NBA, each team attempts to score by throwing the ball into the goal past an opposition goalkeeper. A player can hold and throw the ball in any direction with any body part above the knee. While only seven players can be on the court at any given time, each team's roster has up to 14 players with rolling substitutions throughout the game. Each match comprises two 30-minute halves.

In Paris, 12 teams are competing in each of the men's and women's tournaments. The top four teams in each pool of six continue to the quarterfinals. From there, it's a straight knockout. If the scores are still tied after two rounds of overtime, then the match will be determined by a shootout similar to penalties in soccer.

Handball is expected to be a medal opportunity for host nation France — in Tokyo, their men's and women's teams both won gold. Expect to see them compete hard with Denmark for gold in the men's and with Norway in the women's.

Marta put Brazil ahead of Nigeria with a goal in the 36th minute of their opening match in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Brazil has been the better side thus far, controlling possession and having more shots on target.

After 45 minutes, Germany leads Australia 1-0 after a header from Marina Hegering in the 24th minute.

Germany has so far controlled possession and has more shots on target.

Brazil's playmaker Marta connected with Gabi Nunes' run on the right side of the pitch for a 1-0 lead over Nigeria in the 38th minute.

Levi Jung-Ruivivar, a former U.S. gymnast who now competes for the Philippines, told reporters in Paris that she suffered anaphylactic shock in the Olympic Village on Monday.

“I’m trying to recover from it and it’s really hard because there’s not a lot I can do about it,” Jung-Ruivivar said in the mixed zone, according to gymnastics podcast “GymCastic.” “I’m just trying to push through and do as much as I can.”

Jung-Ruivivar said that this was only her second anaphylactic reaction ever. She had her EpiPen with her and received timely medical attention.

She trains at WOGA Gymnastics in Plano, Texas, alongside Hezly Rivera, who is the youngest member of the U.S. delegation. Jung-Ruivivar is an incoming freshman at Stanford University, where she plans to compete in NCAA gymnastics.

Germany scored the opening goal against Australia in the 24th minute courtesy of a Marina Hegering header from a corner kick.

Canada defeated New Zealand 2-1 in its opening match of the Olympics.

Canada is the reigning Olympic women’s soccer champion after it won its first gold in the 2020 Tokyo Games. Sweden won silver and the U.S. bronze in the 2020 Olympics.

Next, Canada will face off with France and New Zealand will play Colombia on Sunday.

Japan's 20-year-old playmaker Aoba Fujito scored a breathtaking free kick against Spain in their opening match of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

However, despite Japan's best efforts, they lost 2-1. Japan will look for a better result Sunday when it plays Brazil.

Despite Japan's opening goal in the 13th minute by Fujino Aoba, Spain held on for a comfortable 2-1 victory in its opening match of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Spain leveled the game at 1-1 in the 22nd minute before scoring the go-ahead goal in the second half courtesy of Mariona Caldentey. Spain controlled the entire match, dominating possession and having more shots on target.

With its opening victory, Spain goes to the top of Group C. Its next match is Sunday against Nigeria.

Canada's Évelyne Viens scores in the second half for a one-goal lead.

Canada has dominated possession for much of the game but has found it challenging to break through New Zealand’s defense — that is until Viens found an opening following an assist from Jessie Fleming in the 79th minute.

Canada leads 2-1 against New Zealand.

Coco Gauff, the first-ever tennis player to serve as a Team USA flag bearer — and the youngest American flag bearer in Olympic history — told reporters today that she wept when she learned she had been selected for the role.

"I went to cry when I found out," Gauff said at a news conference. "I know this will be a memory I will remember for the rest of my life.

"I maybe would have been less emotional if it’s a committee that picks it or something," Gauff added, "but the fact that it’s my peers and Olympians and athletes and Team USA that came together and voted for me to do that, it means a lot more, because I just don’t realize how many people believe in me."

Gauff will join LeBron James at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games. She called the NBA superstar one of her idols: "I've watched so many Heat games on TV, in person. I've seen him in person a couple of times. I've never met him, but I like to say I’ve met him."

She said she isn't nervous for the opening ceremony — for the most part.

"I don't think I can mess it up too much," she said. "I am a little bit concerned about the height difference, like is my arm going to be up here while he's holding it."

After previously scoring Spain's opening goal, Aitana Bonmati assists her teammate Mariona Caldentey for a 2-1 lead over Japan in the 74th minute.

Japan's Shimizu Risa is stretchered off the pitch with an injury. She's replaced by Takahashi Hana in the 68th minute.

Spain also makes a substitution, as Alexia Putellas comes off for Jennifer Hermoso.

The "TODAY" show’s Hoda Kotb has officially arrived in Paris for the Olympics! She shows the welcome center where all members of Team USA will pick up their Olympic gear to represent Team USA.

Japan opened scoring in the 13th minute with a free kick from Aoba Fujino. Spain equalized less than 10 minutes later with a goal from Aitana Bonmati.

After 45 minutes of play, Spain has controlled possession, taken more shots on target and has the advantage on corners taken.

She shoots, she scores!

Canada’s Cloé Lacasse shot a goal right in the nick of time in stoppage time of the first half. Shortly after the equalizer, the halftime whistle was blown.

Canada and New Zealand are now tied 1-1.

Team USA's roster for this Olympics features 314 women, making it the fourth straight Games with more women on the U.S. roster than men.

To celebrate, Team USA has posted a clip on its social media showing the women of Team USA taking part in the "Passing the Phone" social media trend.

Spain's Aitana Bonmati receives a perfectly placed through ball into the box from Athenea del Castillo to tie the game at 1-1 in the 24th minute.

New Zealand's Mackenzie Barry scored the game's first goal in the 13th minute.

Her right-footed kick saw the ball spin into the upper right of the goal, bounce off the top post and into the net.

New Zealand leads 1-0 against Canada.

Aoba Fujino scores a screaming free kick from outside the box in the 13th minute. Japan leads 1-0.

Japan is off to a quick start despite Spain controlling possession of the match.

Women’s soccer is off to a strong start.

Canada’s and New Zealand’s teams kicked off at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne, while Spain and Japan face off at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.

Gwen Stefani and Anderson .Paak have a hit song on their hands.

On Thursday the "TODAY" show exclusively shared a sneak peek of the duo’s music video for their new 2024 Paris Olympics song“Hello World.”

In the snippet of the music video, .Paak and Stefani are seen singing alongside one another while clips from the past Olympic Games play behind them.

Read the full story here.

Reporting from Paris

The United States will face Australia in the rugby quarterfinals in a match scheduled for 10:30 p.m. in Paris (4:30 p.m. ET).

The winner of that match goes on to the semifinal to face the winner of Fiji and Ireland.

Australia won Pool B with victories over Samoa, Kenya and Argentina.

U.S. women's national team forward Sophia Smith has said the team has moved on from the disappointment of last summer's World Cup and is fully focused on success in the Olympics, looking to add to its four gold medals.

The USWNT suffered its earliest-ever exit from a World Cup in last summer's tournament in Australia after losing on penalties in the Round of 16 against Sweden. Since then, the team has a new head coach and several younger players have come through the ranks, replacing stalwarts Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz and Alex Morgan.

"We’ve moved on from last summer," Smith told reporters ahead of this afternoon's opening match against Zambia. "It’s not something that we bring back into this environment right now. It’s a completely new environment, a new opportunity, a lot of new players. And we just look forward."

"We’ve grown a lot, and we’ve introduced a lot of new things that I think will help us have success in this tournament."

Simone Biles might just be your favorite Olympian's favorite Olympian.

Pin trading has become a fun tradition for athletes around the Olympic Village as each team gets a specially made pin for their country. But this year, Biles has brought her own personalized pins to trade.

Tysha Ikenasio, a New Zealand rugby player, is now in possession of one of these coveted pins.

"Basically I had to walk up and beg that she took one of our New Zealand pins and then she said that she'll give me her personal pin," Ikenasio said on TikTok as her teammates cheered. "So I feel like I clocked the pin game. I got it."

Brazil's Olympic skateboarder Rayssa Leal and two fellow competitors had to use their own wheels to return to the Olympic Village, after the official bus failed to collect them from training.

Leal posted video on social media of them skating through Paris streets.

Reporting from Paris

Swimmer Caeleb Dressel, who has seven Olympic gold medals and is favored to win more this year, said today that he doesn't have confidence that all his competitors are clean.

"I don’t really think they’ve given us enough evidence to support them with how this case was handled.”

Nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers had tested positive for trimetazidine,a heart medication banned by doping regulators, months before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but still allowed to compete. Eleven of these swimmers were named to the Paris squad.

Dressel's comments were echoed by Katie Ledecky a day earlier.

“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week. But what really matters also is, were they training clean?” Ledecky told reporters yesterday.

“So really, hopefully, that’s been the case. Hopefully, there’s been even testing around the world.”

Reporting from Paris

Perry Baker's four tries sparked the United States to a 33-17 victory over Uruguay, keeping the Americans' medal hopes alive.

After a draw against France and loss to Fiji, the Americans needed a win at Stade de France to guarantee advancement out of pool play.

Crystal Dunn, the veteran defender on the U.S. women’s national soccer team heading into the Olympics, says it’s about time people are taking notice of women’s sports.

"Finally," she told NBC News on the eve of the WNBA draft. "What you see is just what happens when people pay attention. People are like, ‘Oh, women can ball.’"

The highly buzzed-about draft came after a gripping women’s NCAA basketball tournament, during which it seemed all anyone could talk about were superstar players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese or coaches Dawn Staley and Kim Mulkey.

Read the full story here.

World-famous pop icon Céline Dion, who is rumored to be performing at the Olympic opening ceremony, has met with the French first lady Brigitte Macron. A picture posted on Instagram by Macron's chief of staff staff showed the two women standing side by side.

Videos of Céline Dion in Paris began circulating on social media Tuesday, prompting rumors that the "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" songstress will perform tomorrow when the Games officially open. Yesterday, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera added even more fuel to the rumors, conceding that Celine’s presence in Paris was"not a coincidence."

Yesterday, the French-Canadian singer posted pictures of herself at the Louvre Museum, confirming that she is in Paris. In both English and French, she wrote that "every time I return to Paris, I remember there’s so much beauty and joy still to experience in the world. I love Paris, and I’m so happy to be back!"

Dion has been forced to put her career on hold in recent years. Last year, she canceled all future tour dates after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.

Olympic gymnastics kicks off in under 48 hours and the GOAT is looking razor sharp.

In today's podium training, which is akin to a "dress rehearsal" for the actual competition, Simone Biles stuck her eponymous Yurchenko double pike vault cold.

The powerful skill is the most difficult vault ever performed in women's gymnastics and is notoriously hard to land cleanly.

If she does the "Biles II" like that during the competition, it is likely to be the highest score of the entire Olympics. Men's gymnastics kicks off with the qualification round Saturday, with the women following Sunday.

Reporting from Paris

Perry Baker's second try, scored in the dying moments of the first half, gave the U.S. moment going into the break.

Reporting from Paris

Uruguay responded with two tries to take the lead, 12-7.

The Americans need at least a tie to advance.

Reporting from Paris

Perry Baker try gave the U.S. rugby team a quick, 7-0, lead over Uruguay.

The Americans need at least a tie to stay alive for medal competition.

Reporting from Paris

With the opening ceremony still more than 24 hours away, one set of American athletes already has its medal hopes hanging by a thread.

The U.S. rugby squad needs at least a draw, and preferably a win, against Uruguay at 9 a.m. ET (USA Network) to advance out of pool play.

The Americans have tied France and lost to Fiji so far. The top two teams of each group advance along two third-place finishers.

France’s counterterrorism prosecutor’s officehas confirmed to NBC News that a man from the Gironde region was arrested today on terrorism charges.

The 18-year-old from southwest France was arrested at an undisclosed location while on vacation. Another 18-year-old was arrested in the southwestern Gironde region earlier this week.

Both men are suspected of planning a violent act, the prosecutor's office told NBC News. Investigators are yet to determine the seriousness of the threat and whether their plans went beyond messages that they had exchanged online.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has said Tuesday’s arrest may have involved plans to attack the 2024 Olympic Games.

Team USA's Olympic swimmers are getting in their final training sessions before their events get underway Saturday. But before they walk out to the poolside at the Paris La Defense Arena, they'll have to brave the ready room.

The ready room is where swimmers sit together and patiently await their races. Given that world-class athletes have spent four years training for the Paris Games, the mood is tense and Olympians are nervous with anticipation.

"Swimmers hate the ready room," explains Regan Smith, who won two silvers and a bronze at the Tokyo Games. "I think there are some oddballs out there who crave the ready room and love it. I’m not a huge fan of it ... [but] I’ve gotten much more confident as I've gotten older so it doesn't shake me quite like how it used to."

For others, it's a window into the minds of their rivals. Four-time gold-winner Ryan Murphy likes to listen to music and shut out any noise. "There’s definitely nervous energy in there and I think everyone has some different tendencies when they’re nervous," Murphy says. "You’re always gonna have the chatty person when they’re nervous [but] it isn’t me. You’re getting direct access to their brain."

Today marks the start of the women's soccer competition, with all 12 competing teams in action across the day. That includes the U.S. Women's National Team which faces Zambia in their opening group stage match in Nice at 3 p.m. ET.

The Olympics marks the start of a new era for the USWNT after an underwhelming performance at last year's World Cup in which the team suffered a Round of 16 exit to Sweden after penalties— its earliest ever elimination from the tournament.

The early exit in the World Cup saw former head coach Vlatko Andonovski resign and he has now been replaced by Emma Hayes, who turned Chelsea into a major force in women's soccer. Hayes has won 14 major trophies in her 12 years in charge in west London.

Gone too are USWNT stalwarts Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz — both retired after the World Cup. Alex Morgan, meanwhile, is now 35 years old and was not selected for the Games by Hayes.

Even before he arrived in Paris, Australian BMX star Logan Martin's van was broken into in Brussels. In a post on Instagram, the passenger window of the Olympian's van appears completely smashed and Martin can be heard saying "luckily my bikes weren't in there although my bike bags were, with some things in there."

But Martin and his teammate then remembered that they had GPS tags in their bags and were able to locate them with most of their stolen goods. "Thank God for the bag tag. We found all our bags," Martin says in the video.

Anna Meares, Australia's chef de mission, later explained that thanks to the tags, the BMXer lost only his wallet in the end. Unfortunately, the thieves also feasted on Martin's chocolates, leaving the wrappers near the scene of the crime.

Reporting from Paris

World No. 1 archer Casey Kaufhold, who is seeking to be the first American woman to medal since 1976, scored 672 in the ranking round and will enter the knockout stages as the No. 4 seed.

The score was close to par for the 20-year-old from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with a current season average of 675 in 72-arrow play.

"To shoot something close to my average, I'm really happy," Kaufhold told reporters after the competition.

On this world stage, seedings going into knockouts don't matter much, Kaufhold said. "If you're number one shooting against number 64, that can still be a tough match. Anything can happen."

San Diego's Catalina GNoriega (ranked 648) and Boston's Jennifer Mucino (ranked 625) will enter the knockout stages from the Nos. 38 and 57 spots, respectively.

Reporting from Paris

Korean archer Lim Sihyeon set a world and Olympic record, firing a 694 in a ranking round yesterday.

That 72-arrow score topped the previous all-time score of 692 set by Kang Chae-young in 2019 and the previous Olympic-best of 680 fired by An San in Tokyo.

Yesterday's scores don't count for medals, but establish seeding for the knockout competition that starts next Tuesday. The No. 2 seed will be fellow Korean Nam Suhyeon, whose 688 was a personal best and would have been an Olympic record.

Each competitor in the ranking round competes in 12 rounds of six-arrow ends, with scores totaled (60 maximum) after each of those dozen ends. When those 72 arrows have been shot, scores are tallied and competitors are ranked 1 through 64 for one-on-one knockout play.

Archery is being held at Esplanade des Invalides, a few arrows' shot from Napoleon's tomb.

Reporting from Paris

The Catacombs of Paris hold millions of skeletons that are hidden 65 feet underground. NBC News’ Keir Simmons visits the Catacombs and talks to a historian about their history and significance.

French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla has been banned from the opening ceremony tomorrow because of a French secularism law that prohibits public sector workers from wearing a hijab.

"You are selected for the Olympics, organized in your country, but you can’t participate in the opening ceremony because you wear a headscarf," the 26-year-old member of the French 400-meter women's and mixed relay teams wrote on Instagram.

During the European Championships earlier this year, Sylla wore a blue cap that was incorporated into the team's kit. For the Paris Games, officials are trying to come up with a similar solution with the LVMH group, whose luxury brand Berluti is designing the uniform for the French delegation.

"We want to follow the same logic. That’s why we’re progressing in discussions with LVMH and Berluti," French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra said. "I am confident."

British tennis legend Andy Murray has withdrawn from the men’s Olympic singles, he said in a statement. The double Olympic gold medalist said that that he will still take part in the Olympic men’s doubles with fellow Team GB member Dan Evans.

“I’ve take the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan. Our practice has been great and we’re playing well together,” Murray said in a statement today. “Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time.”

The 37-year-old confirmed earlier this week that he will retire from professional tennis after the Paris Games following years of injury-related problems. The tennis player has particularly struggled for fitness in recent weeks in the wake of surgery to remove a spinal cyst.

Murray pulled out of the men’s singles tournament at Wimbledon earlier this month, but still played doubles alongside his brother Jamie Murray.

Eagle-eyed photographers in Paris caught the moon rising perfectly in alignment with the glowing Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower last night.

The Olympic Games are beamed to billions of people around the world, giving viewers a real-time, close-up look at every pole vault, layup, breaststroke and backflip.

But there is a crucial part of the Olympic experience that remains largely unknown to spectators, sealed off from the camera crews and off-limits to cheering fans — the Olympic Village.

In recent weeks, NBC News spoke with decorated Olympians about life inside the sprawling residential complexes where thousands of athletes sleep, eat, train and socialize. They likened the villages to summer camps, college dorms, crowded hotels and — in the words of gold medalist swimmer Mark Spitz — a “gigantic cruise ship.”

Read the full story here.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. That’s the slogan that drives Team USA’s Olympic alternates.

A slew ofseason-ending injuriesrocked the nation’s best gymnasts at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, highlighting the importance of understudies on the sport’s biggest stage.

“If anything happens, I’ll be ready,” Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson said.

The Texarkana-native and training mate of Simone Biles was just one spot away from making the five-person U.S. women’s gymnastics team, but she can still call herself an Olympian.

Read the full story here.

Stream every moment and every medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Peaco*ck.