Olympians Talk About Playing in Empty Venues for Pandemic-Delayed Tokyo Games: 'We Miss Everybody So Much'

"It's been a while now that we've been competing without fans and we miss everybody so much," the USWNT forward said after the team's loss to Sweden. "We could hear each other, we could hear our own breath a little bit, but we do feel the support from everyone from our family and fans back home, and honestly the support powers us through."

The Tokyo Olympics are being held without international fans in attendance after the host city declared it's fourth COVID-19 state of emergency measure, which will run from July 12 to Aug. 22, two weeks after the Summer Games conclude on Aug. 8.

Total number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise as more and more athletes, team officials and personnel report their positive test results. Olympic organizers reported the first case of COVID-19 at the athlete's village on July 17.

The Tokyo Paralympics are scheduled to run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5 but Japan has yet to announce new COVID-related rules about spectators participating in events.

"I feed from the energy from the crowd, negative or positive ... It's one of the biggest reasons I keep playing professionally," said the Serbian tennis icon, who is going for a Golden Slam, which is four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.

"Without the key element of any sports events, the crowds, the fans, that energy, it's different, but it is still the Olympic Games. I was in a dilemma for a little bit, but I decided to come, and I'm glad because there are many more things that are beautiful about the Olympic Games. So I will try to focus on those things," Djokovic shared.

"There was excitement on the field for us. We were trying to tap into that excitement that the Olympic Games are happening. It's a lot of their first times, but let's use that emotion in our favor – and we overcame the disappointment of not having fans a long time ago, as soon as it was announced that at least foreign fans, our friends and families couldn't come," the veteran softball pitcher said about how her teammates have adapted to competing without anyone in the stands.

"We were like, 'All right, we're gonna have to generate our excitement and our momentum ourselves,' so we've been prepared for that. Unfortunately, back home in the States there were also times when we had to play without fans, so it's been something we're kind of used to," Osterman added.

"I don't think it was disappointing. I think we're just excited to be here and we're grateful that it's happening," the outfielder on Team USA Softball said of playing without fans.

"I think there are circumstances where you just want to cry or something, but I think we have to adapt to whatever measures are put in place, and I think our team is very good at that. It's something that we adapt to and go compete," Moultrie shared.

"The atmosphere has been hard definitely," skateboader Huston said. "Even though I skate with headphones on out there, I normally feed off the energy of the crowd. It's really unfortunate that there's no fans here."

"This team has always done a really great job of creating own energy ... I don't see it being a problem for to create an Olympic vibe, an Olympic spirit within our team. I don't see it being a problem for me," said water polo player Musselman.