Bite-sized highlights from day 9 at the Olympic tennis
Cometh the hour
Could this be Andy Murray’s Djokovic Davis Cup moment? The British No.1 was astonishing in the way he picked apart Roger Federer to win the Olympic gold medal, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4, the first time he had beaten the Swiss in a major final.
Describing it as the ‘biggest win of his life’, Murray contributed Team GB’s 15th gold medal.
Fully deserving
Juan Martin Del Potro’s bronze. The big man deserved 50 medals after losing his epic to Federer in the semi-finals, so distraught that he sobbed on the Swiss’s shoulder at the net. So it was fitting to see him smiling as he accepted his bronze medal after beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Breaking more records
The Williams sisters. Serena and Venus combined impeccably to beat Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4 in a repeat of the Wimbledon final, and in so doing, won their third doubles gold medal together.
With one singles and three doubles golds each, the Williams sisters become the first tennis players ever to win four gold medals.
Silver to the welly-wearing Czechs, and bronze, most deservingly, to Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova, who defeated Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in three sets.
Speaking of records
There was mixed magic for Belarus, as Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi combined to win the first ever gold medal for their nation in the tennis event. The top seeds combined for a narrow 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 win over Laura Robson and Andy Murray, who took home the silver. Bronze went to Wimbledon champions Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan.
Trivia question
When was the last time that two brothers and two sisters won gold together in the same event, from the same country? The Bryans and Williams’s did it in 2012. Who else?
Answers on a postcard…
Famous faces
Lots. From Seb Coe to John McEnroe, there were no shortage of famous faces at Wimbledon for the final day of the Olympic tennis.
What’s next?
That concludes the Olympic tennis event at Wimbledon, a frenetic, boisterous week. Tomorrow, the purple will be removed, the signs will come down, and Wimbledon will return to its sleepy non-Championships’ state. It’s been quite a nine days.
The London 2012 Olympic tennis is taking place at Wimbledon. Visit the ITF Olympics site for full scores, draws and the London 2012 site for video content, venue and schedule information.
