If there was any doubt that the Olympic Games truly mean something to the sport of tennis, those doubts were silenced in London during the 2012 Summer Games…
Dreams were realized…hopes were crushed. Records continued to grow…others were shattered. Tears fell freely in victory and defeat; and one player proved pure dominance, while another proved that he is now undoubtedly ‘part of the conversation.’
Men’s Singles
G – Great Britian / Andy Murray (6-2, 6-1, 6-4)
S – Switzerland / Roger Federer
B – Argentina / Juan Martin del Potro (7-5, 6-4)
* – Serbia / Novak Djokovic
Women’s Singles
G – United States / Serena Williams (6-0, 6-1)
S – Russia / Maria Sharapova
B – Belarus / Victoria Azarenka (6-3, 6-4)
* – Russia / Maria Kirilenko
Men’s Doubles
G – United States / Bob and Mike Bryan (6-4, 7-6)
S – France / Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
B – France / Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet (7-6, 6-2)
* – Spain / David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez
Women’s Doubles
G – United States / Serena and Venus Williams (6-4, 6-4)
S – Czech Republic / Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka
B – Russia / Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova (4-6, 6-4, 6-1)
* – United States / Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond
Mixed Doubles (In its return to the Olympic Games)
G – Belarus / Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka (2-6, 6-3, [10]-[8])
S – Great Britain / Andy Murray and Laura Robson
B – United States / Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan (6-3, 4-6, [10]-[4])
* – Germany / Sabine Lisicki and Christopher Kas
Tennis Medal Count
– United States: 3-Gold, 1-Bronze
– Great Britain: 1-Gold, 1-Silver
– Belarus: 1-Gold, 1-Bronze
– Russia: 1-Silver, 1-Bronze
– France: 1-Silver, 1-Bronze
– Switzerland: 1-Silver
– Czech Republic: 1-Silver
– Argentia: 1-Bronze
Highlights
* Andy Murray’s inspired performance against Roger Federer in the Gold Medal match, defeating the greatest to play the game at the All England Club, less than a month after losing to Federer in the Wimbledon final. What is this “Henman Hill” you speak of? Isn’t it “Murray Mound?”
* Serena Williams complete and total dominance of all-comers, even bageling Maria Sharapova in the first set of the Gold Medal match.
* Venus and Serena Williams have never lost an Olympic doubles match. They won gold in Sydney (2000), skipped Athens (2004), won gold in Beijing (2008), now gold in London (2012) – and according to Venus: “We’re definitely planning on Rio. We’re going out with a bang in Rio. Hopefully we will make it four, you never know.”
* Proof of Olympic significance in the world of tennis after Juan Martin del Potro’s crushing 17-19 loss to Federer before the medal matches…weeping on Roger’s shoulder at the net.
* Max Mirnyi…a Gold in mixed, AND he managed to find the time to study this year and pass the bar exam. That is discipline.
* Liezel Huber – a tough Olympics for the former South African…losing early with Bob Bryan in Mixed, then getting edged out of the Bronze with Lisa Raymond by a pair of Russians.
* Novak Djokovic – beaten by Federer in the Wimbledon semifinals, then beaten by Murray before the Olympic medal matches – Someone is going to have a score to settle this August in Flushing Meadows.
US OPEN SERIES
Meanwhile, there was some great tennis being played stateside with the Citi Open in Washington D.C., part of the the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series. Alezandr Dolgopolov came from behind to beat Tommy Haas in the final 6-7, 6-4, 6-1. After week-3 for the men, Sam Querrey still leads the U.S. Open Series Bonus Challenge Standings, now with 95-points. Andy Roddick and Alexandr Dolgopolov are both in second-place with 70-points each.
Next up, the Rogers Cup in Toronto (for the guys) featuring Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Tomas Berdych…among others!
The ladies will play their Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal, featuring Springfield Laser and Hungarian Olympian Timea Babos, who made it through qualifying. Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Ana Ivanovic, and Sam Stosur are some of the more popular names that’ll be playing up north in the U.S. Open Series event. (After 2-weeks, Dominika Cibulkova leads the bonus challenge for the ladies, after her win at the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad. Serena’s not far behind, after winning in Stanford before heading to the Olympics).
