Olympic Mixed Doubles is a Big Deal This Year

Written by: Resendiz on 1st August 2012

Olympic Mixed Doubles is a Big Deal This Year

epa03329741 Andy Roddick of the US returns to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their London 2012 Olympic Games Tennis competition in Wimbledon, Greater London, Britain, 31 July 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Normally mixed doubles is something of an afterthought at Grand Slam events, for the most part contested by specialist doubles players with the prize money minimal in comparison to what the leading protagonists receive in singles. However with Olympic gold medals, some of the big names have been tempted and controversy is centered on some team decisions.

After months of conjecture on just who Serena Williams might team up with for the United States, possibly Andy Roddick, John Isner or one of the Bryan brothers, she has chosen to sit out the competition and concentrate purely on the Women’s singles and doubles. Instead doubles specialists Liezel Huber, Lisa Raymond and the Bryan brothers, Mike and Bob, get the nominations.

“I really wanted to play with Andy and Bob, and I couldn’t decide,” she explained. “Plus I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to play all three. I thought, Liezel is such a great teammate and team player; why shouldn’t she be able to play two events and win the gold for the USA?”

So the U.S. will have two teams with Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan looking for a reprise of their Wimbledon title less than a month ago this summer while Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan, who have won two major titles together – the 2009 French Open and 2010 U.S. Open.

“We all discussed it,” U.S. coach Mary Joe Fernandez said Tuesday. “I think it was the best decision for the team. It’s a lot of matches in a short amount of time. You don’t want to jeopardize the other events. We’re lucky we have so many possibilities in matchups.

Venus Williams wasn’t expected to play mixed doubles because she’s already in two other events and dealing with an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue.”

She said she and Serena will be glad to concentrate on singles and their doubles partnership. “We already have a ton of matches ahead of us in just a few days, so I think it was better for us to focus on these two events,” said the winner of three Olympic gold medals.

The full mixed doubles entry list reads:

Argentina: Gisela Dulko / Juan Martin del Potro.

Australia: Samantha Stosur / Lleyton Hewitt.

Belarus: Victoria Azarenka / Max Mirnyi.

Czech Republic: Lucie Hradecka / Radek Stepanek.

Germany: Angelique Kerber / Philipp Petzschner; Sabine Lisicki / Christopher Kas.

Great Britain:Â Laura Robson / Andy Murray.

India: Sania Mirza / Leander Paes.

Italy:Â Roberta Vinci / Daniele Bracciali; Sara Errani / Andreas Seppi.

Poland:Â Agnieszka Radwanska / Marcin Matkowski.

Russia: Elena Vesnina / Mikhail Youzhny.

Serbia: Ana Ivanovic / Nenad Zimonjic.