Britain’s Andy Murray and America’s Serena Williams won tennis’ most prominent gold medals, but they weren’t the only players who left the London Games pleased.
Serena helped her older sister Venus, who is contending the Sjorden’s Syndrome – win their third gold in doubles.
Twins Bob and Mike Bryan won their first gold in men’s doubles. Mike then went on to win the bronze in the mixed doubles with veteran Lisa Raymond, who as the No. 1 ranked doubles player in 2000, was once snubbed for the team.
“When we go home, everyone is going to want to see that medal, Mike said. “Our email boxes are filled. I just looked at my phone, I could count how many emails I had.”
The Bryans bested France’s Jo-Tsonga /Michael Llodra and France picked up another medal in that competition when Richard Gasquet/Julien Benneteau won the bronze by beating David Ferrer/ Feliciano Lopez of Spain, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
The Williams sisters became the first players in history to win four Olympic gold medals when they bested Czechs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in the women’s doubles final, which, by the way, was the first medal (a silver) for the tall Czechs.
“Knowing that we have so much more to give, that we have great tennis in our racquets, is so motivating,” the 31-year-old Venus added: We want to be able to, when we’re done, to look back and say we gave everything. That’s important to us.”
Juan Martin Del Potro, who nearly took out Roger Federer in the semifinals, managed to put down Serbia’s Novak Djokovic for the bronze, Argentina’s first medal. Djokovic f was under heavy pressure to medal and as of Sunday, Serbia had only two medals, both in shooting.
Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka gave tiny Belarus a much needed medal when they won the gold over Murray and teen Laura Robson, who was more than thrilled to be playing high level tennis in front of her nation.
Maria Kirilenko, who had lost the bronze medal match in singles, came back to win doubles with Nadia Petrova, who had just missed the Cup at the 2008 Games and had said that this would be her last Olympics.
©Daily Tennis News Wire
Topics: Andy Murray, Laura Robson, London Olympics, Max Mirnyi, Olympic tennis news, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis News, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Wimbledon Tennis