Winners and Losers from Tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Andy Murray is once again king of the Olympics, while Puerto Rico finds a new tennis hero in Monica Puig. After little more than a week with rousing tournaments in singles and doubles for the men and women, tennis has left an important chapter in the 2016 Games.
There are many disappointing and triumphant stories to credit. Who would have thought that Novak Djokovic, arguably the greatest player in tennis history, would lose in the first round, or that the man who defeated him would be the most inspiring tennis story of the year and narrowly miss the gold medal?
There are notable achievements that will be forgotten, such as the Czech Republic winning three bronze medals (women’s singles; doubles; mixed doubles). Or how about Kei Nishikori bringing home the tennis bronze medal for Japan.
But the following memories will stand out most for our special Olympics edition of the Winners and Losers in tennis.
Loser: Early Brazilian Setbacks for Olympics Tennis
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Forget about the lost chance to feature clay courts in Brazil, which has nurtured the best of Brazilian and South American tennis players. At least they used a dark green that approximates the green Har-Tru clay in the United States, although many tennis fans might not find the shades of green attractive. The courts did play slow with big hops, leading to more rallies and a more balanced field.
But there have been major issues leading up to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. SB Nation even posted an exhausting list that included everything from economic problems, pollution, deaths, doping, protesters and the Zika virus.
Tennis was a blip on the Olympics radar, and the tournaments had a good run. But they lost a lot of their glamour when half of the men’s top 10 and important women stars did not show up because of injury or concerns of the Zika virus.
In the early rounds, superstars like Roger Federer (injured), Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams were quickly erased. While some of the upsets were wonderful stories, others pushed the casual sports fans away from tennis. Other than Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, and to some extent Kei Nishikori, there was not a lot of name recognition for worldwide sports fans.
Winner: Jack Sock
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Last week, American Jack Sock was quickly eliminated in men’s singles. By the end, he became a big winner with a bronze medal in men's doubles and the gold in mixed doubles. Sock teamed with Steve Johnson in the former and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the latter.
Sock ended up as the biggest American story, which is remarkable given his early singles loss and that Serena and Venus Williams fell far below expectations. Venus and partner Rajeev Ram did get to the mixed doubles final before losing to Sock and Mattek-Sands.
Sock reinforced his place as one of the powerful doubles players in the world, even as he bids for a top-20 ranking in singles. He’s grown tremendously, including his Davis Cup play and his willingness to work hard and improve.
Loser: Jamie Murray
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While younger brother Andy Murray began his odyssey to the gold medal, older brother Jamie had hoped to play well as the No. 4-ranked doubles player in the world.
Instead, he and Andy were upset in the first round to a scrappy Brazilian team—despite their status as the No. 2-ranked team that had succeeded with multiple Davis Cup victories on their way to that championship in 2015.
Then Jamie teamed up with Johanna Konta in mixed doubles, and they were also soundly defeated in the first round by eventual gold-medal winners Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
At least Jamie was free to root on his little brother, but even that has to be wearisome at times.
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Winner: Rafael Nadal
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Even optimistic Rafael Nadal fans had to be skeptical that the Spanish superstar could come back to anything resembling his best play of 2016 before an injured wrist at the French Open caused him to miss all competition from late May until the Olympics.
Suddenly, Nadal went on a spectacular run with partner Marc Lopez to win the gold medal as the No. 5-seeded team. He had to balance all of this while playing singles and regulating his recovery from injury.
Nadal made the decision to withdraw from mixed doubles with fellow superstar Garbine Muguruza to finish out his doubles championship and go for the gold in singles. Ultimately, he lost a one-set lead to Juan Martin del Potro in the semifinals and the bronze medal to Kei Nishikori. But tennis fans and Brazilians were pleasantly warmed by Nadal’s promise for more good tennis ahead.
Loser: Garbine Muguruza
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French Open champion Garbine Muguruza was the No. 2 player in the world following her conquest of Serena for clay’s greatest title in June. Two months later, she’s fallen significantly.
Muguruza lost early at Wimbledon. Last week, she was hammered 6-1, 6-1 to eventual gold-medal winner Monica Puig in the third round. That was a stunner.
She and Carla Suarez Navarro (ranked No. 12 in singles) figured to be a formidable doubles team. They fell in the quarterfinals to eventual gold-medal winners Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Visnina of Russia.
Then, Rafael Nadal had to cancel their impending partnership in mixed doubles so that he could complete his success in singles and doubles and show caution with his previously injured wrist, according to Spanish publication Marca.
More curious were Muguruza’s doubting comments to the AP via Tennis.com. "The year is long. You never know what can happen. I was not expecting to come here and go with the gold medal."
Winner: Monica Puig
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Nobody saw it coming. Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig, ranked No. 34 in the world and unseeded for the women’s singles draw, drove all the way to the gold medal, defeating Garbine Muguruza in the third round and No. 2 Angelique Kerber in a three-set thriller in the final.
Behind her strong backhand and aggressive power, Puig lived up the billing that has always made her a promising player. Add to the astonishment that it was her country’s first gold medal.
Will the 22-year-old Puig use this career achievement to step up at the U.S. Open and upcoming majors? She’s only made it to the second week of a major once in her career—the fourth round at 2013 Wimbledon.
“It's amazing, I'm so proud to be part of history," Puig said to the media, via ESPN. "It hasn't hit me just yet, but I'm aware that one day I'll look back and maybe add a little value to what just happened.”
Loser: Croatian Tennis
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Croatian tennis had scored a remarkable comeback at the Davis Cup tie in America in mid-July. After losing to the Americans twice, they won the final three rubbers behind spectacular grit and talent from Marin Cilic in doubles and singles and from rising star Borna Coric.
At the Olympics, neither of them could continue the magic.
Coric was bounced in the first round by counter-puncher Gilles Simon.
Cilic, who was a favorite to win a singles medal, was upset by Gael Monfils in the third round. In doubles, he and partner Marin Draganja were crushed by Serbian rivals Novak Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic.
Ana Konjuh was shown the door in round two of women's singles, and Croatia did not field a women's doubles or mixed doubles team. It was surprising for a country that has been a top competitor in sports and has a proud tennis tradition.
At least the U.S. Open and Davis Cup semifinals in September will give them a chance at redemption. There’s always next time to get up off the mat, but Brazil was forgettable.
Winner: Juan Martin Del Potro
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Anybody who has followed Juan Martin del Potro’s career has to be smiling that he is even playing professional tennis. Del Potro went through multiple wrist surgeries and over a year out of tennis in which he contemplated retirement.
Once a rising star as the 2009 U.S. Open champion, the big Argentine showed that he could have a few more shots at major titles.
Del Potro began the tournament by defeating world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the first round. He continued to hold up with his heavy groundstrokes and big heart, holding on despite obvious fatigue and adversity. He battled past Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, winning the third-set tiebreaker and propelling himself into the gold-medal match.
Even after a draining first set, Del Potro plugged away with his power through many long, spirited rallies with Andy Murray, trying to find his way through the Scot’s grinding tactics. In the end, he could not quite send it to a fifth set, and he had to settle for a silver medal.
Del Potro now pairs his silver medal with the bronze that he won in 2012, also at the expense of defeating Djokovic. In the 2012 semifinals, he lost a legendary marathon contest to Roger Federer.
He’s now been certified as an Olympics tennis legend, and it could help him on the road back to glory in the grand slams.
Losers: The Williams Sisters
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Serena and Venus Williams came into Brazil as overwhelming favorites to win the gold in doubles. They had done so three times since the 2000 Olympics. Serena is the world No. 1 and was a solid favorite to win her second singles gold.
Instead, Venus was defeated in singles and doubles in her first matches, and Serena was shown the door in round three with a sore shoulder that could make things difficult for her to win the U.S. Open next month.
Serena even flew into Cincinnati to get in more matches and try to extend her streak of 183 consecutive weeks as the No. 1 player, according to Tennis.com. Should Serena fall before the quarterfinals and Angelique Kerber win the Western & Southern Open in one week, Kerber would become the new No. 1.
Venus did rebound with Rajeev Ram to win the silver medal in mixed doubles, but she lost her chance to go up one gold medal on little sister. Ironically, Serena might have teamed up with Jack Sock to win gold in mixed doubles, but Sock went on for the gold with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Winner: Andy Murray
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Andy Murray has always been the little brother in his rivalry with Novak Djokovic. The Scot won his third major at Wimbledon last month, but the Serbian has 12 majors, many at the expense of Murray. Djokovic has been the No. 1 player for over 200 career weeks, but Murray has never achieved that distinction for a single week.
But despite being second to Djokovic or a distant third or fourth to Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Murray is now the modern men’s singles king of the Olympics. He played with his usual grit and intelligent shot, making on his way to a gruelling four-set gold medal win over Argentina’s resurgent hero Juan Martin del Potro.
Is it a coincidence that Murray’s greatest career success started with (newly reappointed) coach Ivan Lendl in 2012 when he won the London Olympics gold medal, the 2012 U.S. Open and 2013 Wimbledon? Now Murray looks to replicate all three of those achievements in about two months this year, if he wins the 2016 U.S. Open next month.
Not long ago, Murray trailed Djokovic by a laughable margin as the No. 2-player in the world. He’s closed the gap with huge titles and the possibility of catching him in the months to come. As long as Murray keeps winning…
For now, he will enjoy his second gold medal.
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