Olympic Tennis Update: Keys Into Medal Round
Serena and Venus Williams, the poster athletes for American tennis might be out of the tournament, but the U.S. is still in good shape to add to their overall leading medal count at the Olympic Tennis Center.
As recent as 2014, the Williams sisters were the only hope American tennis fans had to see one of their own win grand slam titles, and Olympic medals.
John Isner has been the best American on the men’s side, but he has never been a threat to international dominance led by the big four of Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. On the women’s side, it has always been about Serena and Venus.
The Rio Games are starting to change that narrative.
Serena and Venus might be out of the picture in women’s singles and doubles, but 21-year-old Madison Keys advanced to the medal round yesterday in straight sets. She got out to a commanding 5-0 lead against Daria Kasatkina in the first 20 minutes of the match before taking the opening set 6-3. Keys would go on to win the second set 6-1, and the match in an hour.
Keys will take on German and second seed Angelique Kerber in the semifinals for a spot in the gold medal match against Monica Puig who beat Petra Kvitova today on Center Court 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Puig will become the first athlete from Puerto Rico to medal in the 120 year history of the Olympics dating back to 1896.
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnia will go for gold in women’s doubles and will face the winner of Timea Bacsinszky and Martina Hingis of Switzerland, and Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic. The looser of the second semifinal will play Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova, also of the Czech Republic, in the bronze medal match.
In men’s singles, after taking the first set 6-0, Andy Murray survived a third set scare to book his place in the semifinals in three sets 6-0, 4-6, 7-6(2) over Steve Johnson. Murray is trying to do what nobody has done before: successfully defend a singles gold medal.
Both guys came up with amazing winners after the first set, especially in the tiebreak. The critical point in the match came with Murray on serve down a break and 0-30 in the eighth game. He fought back to hold and nod the set up at 4-4, putting the momentum on his side.
Currently, an upset is brewing on Center Court. Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil is feeding off of the home crowd, and is up a set. Bellucci is trying to become the first Brazilian to medal in tennis. The winner of Nadal and Belluci will take on the winner of Juan Martin Del Porto and Roberto Bautista Agut for a spot in the medal round. Del Porto is currently up a break in the first set.
Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori are in action as well with the first set nodded at three games a piece. The winner of that match will take on Murray in the semifinals.
Later today, the American men’s doubles team of Steve Johnson and Jack Sock will take on Daniel Nestor and Vasik Pospisil of Canada for a bronze medal.
Nadal and partner Marc Lopez will go for gold tonight against Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau of Romania.
Finally, with one round of mixed doubles complete, both U.S. teams are still fighting for a medal after winning their respective first round matches.
Sock and his partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated Jamie Murray and Johanna Konta of Great Britain in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. Venus Williams paired with Rajeev Ram kept her medal hopes alive defeating Jean-Julien Rojer and Kiki Bertens 6-7(4), 7-6(3), {10-8}. Williams is battling a virus that affected her play in singles and doubles.
The trend of top seeds falling in the first round continued after Marcelo Melo and Teliana Pereira of Brazil defeated Nicolas Mahut and Caroline Garcia of France in two tiebreaks 7-6(4), 7-6(1).
It hasn’t been the greatest of tournaments for the red, white, and blue, but if you would have told me that Serena and Venus would be out of the picture in singles and doubles on day 7, and medals were still there for the taking, I would have taken that as an American tennis fan.