Tennis: Olympics-Tennis-Bencic, Vondrousova vying for gold as Djokovic advances to the semi-finals

by • Tennis olympics

TOKYO (Reuters) -Belinda Bencic could become the first woman to win a singles gold for Switzerland after securing a berth to the Olympic final with a hard-earned 7-6 (2) 4-6 6-3 victory against Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina on Thursday.

Ahead of her in Saturday’s title match was Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who knocked out Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-3 6-1 in a one-sided game.

On the men’s side, 20-time major champion Novak Djokovic qualified in the last four with an impressive performance against Japan’s Kei Nishikori, but world number two Daniil Medvedev fell with a 6-2 7- loss. 6 (5) against Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta. .

Bencic was in tears after ending a nervous battle against Rybakina, 20th, who lost several leads in an upside down semi-final on center court.

The victory will secure Switzerland a tennis medal for the fourth consecutive Olympic Games, while Bencic will have a chance to be the first player to win a singles gold for the country since Marc Rosset won the Olympic final. male in 1992.

“I mean my emotions at the moment are too strong. To have the medal for me is the best thing,” the 24-year-old told reporters.

“To be here as an athlete, for the Olympics, it’s amazing and also to have a medal, it’s something I dreamed of and I didn’t think it would come true.”

The Swiss also became the fifth player on Thursday to advance to the singles and doubles tournament finals since tennis returned to the 1988 Olympics, after American sisters Venus (2000) and Serena Williams (2012), the Chilean. Nicolas Massu (2004) and the Briton. Andy Murray (2012).

Bencic and partner Viktorija Golubic beat Brazilian pair Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani 7-5 6-3 in the women’s doubles semi-final.

DOMINANT DJOKOVIC

Matches began at 3 p.m. local time on Thursday after organizers agreed to delay the competition following complaints from players about the hot and humid conditions at Ariake Tennis Park.

Top-ranked Djokovic was at his best in his 6-2 6-0 victory over Nishikori as he remained on track to become the first player to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold the same year since Steffi Graf in 1988.

“The matches aren’t getting any easier but my tennis level is getting better and better,” said the Serbian, whose victory over Nishikori put an end to local hopes for a medal in singles.

“I’ve done it so many times in my career. I know I’m the type of player that the further the tournament goes, the better I feel on the pitch, and I do here.

“Best tournament performance tonight against a good opponent.”

Djokovic will next face Germany’s Alexander Zverev – who beat Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-1 – for a place in Sunday’s final.

In their first meeting, Karen Khachanov beat Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-6 (4) 4-6 6-3 in a very close game to secure a place in the men’s semi-final against Carreno Busta.

Carreno Busta’s victory ruled out an all-Russian semi-final and the Spaniard said his match against Medvedev was one of the best of his career.

“Daniil is a very good player, he’s very solid from the baseline,” said the world number 11. “I think I came back very well all the time. It’s very important when you play against those kinds of players.”

In men’s doubles, Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig secured Croatia an Olympic medal by beating New Zealanders Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus 6-2 6-2 for a place in the final.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Clare Fallon and Toby Davis)


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Tennis players fade in the Tokyo heat with Paula Badosa leaving the pitch in a wheelchair

by • Tennis players

Britain’s last Olympic tennis hopes were ignited when organizers acceded to requests for schedule changes after one player suffered heatstroke and another wondered if he would “die” in the sweltering temperatures of Tokyo.

Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury were the first Britons to come out on Wednesday, losing 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 10-7 to Croats Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig in the men’s doubles quarter-final.

Any lingering low hopes were dashed later in the day when Liam Broady was beaten 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-1 by Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the third round of the men’s singles.

But the main talking point of the day was once again the warm conditions and the surprising impact on several players, with the International Tennis Federation organizing the event, announcing the matches later than Thursday. would start from 3 p.m., rather than 11 a.m.

The ITF said in a statement: “In the interest of the health and well-being of the players and after extensive consultation, the ITF has announced a schedule change due to the increasing heat and humidity that Tokyo is currently experiencing.

“The decision to start matches at 3 p.m. from Thursday is possible due to the results of today’s matches in the five competitions held and the size of the squad of players, and is designed to further protect the health of players. players. “

Spain’s Paula Badosa had raised concerns when she needed treatment after losing the first set of her quarter-final in singles 6-3 to Naomi Osaka conqueror Marketa Vondrousova, leaving the pitch in a wheelchair . She then recovered but withdrew from her first mixed doubles match alongside Pablo Carreno Busta.

Men’s second seed Daniil Medvedev also struggled in his third round match against Fabio Fognini, taking a medical timeout on the pitch and calling the coach on two more occasions. When the chair umpire Carlos Ramos asked him if he was okay, he was heard saying, “If I die, who will take responsibility?”


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Sharath Kamal Table Tennis, Olympics, Ranking, Father, Wife, Instagram

by • Tennis olympics

Sharath Kamal is a professional table tennis player born in Chennai. The nine-time senior national champion is one of the most successful players in Indian history. This paddler is so successful that he no longer has a place at home to keep his medals and awards. It is a great source of inspiration for young people who want to practice sport. In recognition of his achievements, he received the Arjuna Award in 2004 and the Padma Shri in 2019.

Sharath Kamal table tennis

Sharath started playing table tennis at the age of 4. He preferred this sport to a career as an engineer. Sharath recalls: “It was at the end of 10th grade when I had to decide whether to study science and move on to engineering or play sports professionally. I decided to become a professional table tennis player. It was one of the most important decisions I made for myself. It was the most important turning point. “

Here is an overview of his main achievements:

Event sport Position
Commonwealth Games 2006 – Melbourne Men’s single TT Gold
Commonwealth Games 2006 – Melbourne TT men’s team Gold
Commonwealth Games 2010 – Delhi TT double men Gold
Commonwealth Games 2010 – Delhi TT men’s team Bronze
Commonwealth Games 2018 – Gold Coast TT men’s team Gold
Commonwealth Games 2018 – Gold Coast TT double men Money
Commonwealth Games 2018 – Gold Coast Men’s single TT Bronze
Commonwealth Games 2018 – Gold Coast TT Mixed Doubles Bronze
Asian Games 2018 – Jakarta TT men’s team Bronze
Asian Games 2018 – Jakarta TT Mixed Doubles Bronze

Sharath Kamal Olympic Games

Sharath would finally seek to fulfill his dream of securing a medal at the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo. Athens 2004 was its first Olympic Games. He also qualified for Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016.

World ranking

Kamal is ranked 32nd in the world in men’s singles while 23rd in men’s doubles.

Father Sharath Kamal

He was born on July 17, 1982 to Annapurna (mother) and Srinivasa Rao (father). Srinivasa trained Sharath for a few years before handing the job over to his brother, Muralidhar Rao. Srinivasa has produced several national champions in his coaching career. He was nominated for the Dronacharya Prize in 2018.

Sharath Kamal wife

Kamal is married to Sripoorni SK. The couple have a daughter and a son.

Instagram

@sharathkamal



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Tennis: Olympics-Tennis-Medvedev storms as players fade in Tokyo heat

by • Tennis olympics

TOKYO (Reuters) – World number two Daniil Medvedev gave a candid assessment of the stifling tennis conditions in Tokyo on Wednesday when the visibly upset Russian told the referee he could finish his match but wanted to know who would take responsibility s ‘he was dying.

Last week, Medvedev was the first to request a delayed start from tennis at the Tokyo Olympics due to hot and humid weather conditions and also received support from world number one Novak Djokovic.

On Wednesday, he opened the proceedings on the main exhibition ground of Ariake Tennis Park against Italy’s Fabio Fognini and fought throughout the game.

The 25-year-old took a medical time out on the pitch and called the coach on a few other occasions as well.

Chair umpire Carlos Ramos was worried and asked Medvedev if he was okay as the Russian served 3-4 in the second set after winning the first.

“I’m fine. I can finish the match but I can die. If I die, will the ITF (the governing body of the International Tennis Federation) take responsibility?” Medvedev responded.

The ITF’s “extreme weather policy” allows a 10-minute break between the second and third set if both players agree and Medvedev used that time to take a freezing cold shower.

“Even from the first set, I didn’t feel good enough with my breathing. That’s why I called the physiotherapist, I felt like my diaphragm was blocked,” he said, adding he thought it was the wettest day so far in Tokyo. .

“And then on the second set, I just had dark eyes, like between every point, I didn’t know what to do to feel better. Like I was hunched over and I couldn’t catch my breath so I didn’t know what to do to feel better. was ready to just fall on the ground. “

While Medvedev said he was “lucky” to feel better and be able to continue her game to advance, Spain’s Paula Badosa gave up.

Badosa struggled in her match against Czech Marketa Vondrousova on court four and needed a long medical time out. But she couldn’t recover enough and left the court in a wheelchair.

The ITF has confirmed that Badosa has retired due to illness.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Shri Navaratnam)


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Netizens cheer on and thank Chinese table tennis players despite losing mixed doubles gold

by • Tennis players

Xu Xin (L, top) / Liu Shiwen (R, top) of China compete in the table tennis mixed doubles quarter-finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan on July 25, 2021. Photo: Xinhua

Floods of Chinese netizens comforted Chinese table tennis players Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, who were beaten by their Japanese counterparts on Monday night in the mixed doubles final at the Tokyo Olympics and won the medal. money.

In the final, the Chinese table tennis pair won the first two sets but suffered a backhand from the host group and lost the Chinese table tennis team’s first gold medal by a score of 3- 4. Japanese pair Jun Mizutani and Mima Itō won the gold medal.

As members of the world famous table tennis team who have experience in countless international matches, Liu and Xu were disappointed.

After the finale, Liu cried and said she felt sorry for everyone. Later at a press conference, Liu said the result was “difficult to accept.” Echoing Liu, Xu said that even though they are well prepared, the result matters in competitive sports.

During the press conference, Xu praised Ito’s performance, claiming that she is a “world-class player among the players.”

Netizens rushed to support Liu and Xu, and many said “whatever the outcome, you are Chinese pride.”

Several related topics were discussed on China’s Twitter-like social media platform Sina Weibo, including “players did nothing wrong to apologize.”

“We must not take Chinese players who win gold medals for granted. The athletes are under a lot of pressure and the Japanese team was also a formidable opponent. Xu and Liu will always be our pride!” A user’s comment quickly gained over 170,000 likes.

This battle was not easy for Xu and Liu who were recovering from injuries. Plus, they hadn’t played together in a while, another netizen said.

Towards the end of the match with the Japanese team leading, Japanese actor Yuki Furukawa posted on Weibo asking Chinese netizens “Are you watching the Olympics?”

The question angered Chinese netizens who regarded it as a “watch”. But Furukawa was adamant. Due to the pressure, the Japanese actor apologized, “I’m so sorry if I offended you. I really didn’t mean it. It was bad timing. I should have been more careful with my words. . I apologize.”

However, many netizens still did not accept his apology.

In addition to losing to the Japanese duo in the mixed doubles table tennis, the Chinese team also failed to win gold on Monday in other events, including diving and weightlifting, in which Chinese players are good.

The Xinhua News Agency commented that “victory and defeat are both common in combat,” and encouraged Chinese players to fight hard with confidence. Xinhua called on the public to establish a rational view of gold, victory and defeat, and enjoy the Olympics.


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Names of tennis players Sania Mirza and Sumit Nagal added to mixed doubles entry list

by • Tennis players

As India’s hopes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics came to an end with regards to tennis, new possibilities arose as Sumit Nagal and Sania Mirza found their names in the entry list for the mixed doubles events.

However, that does not mean that they will participate in the event. The draw is expected to be announced on Tuesday.

Indian tennis so far:

On Monday, men’s singles player Sumit Nagal was blown away by world number two Daniil Medvedev in straight sets of 6-2, 6-1.

Nagal entered the second round after winning his first round match against Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin. It was India’s first Olympic men’s singles victory in 25 years.

Nagal’s exit came after Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina’s doubles pair were knocked out in the first round of the women’s doubles. They were beaten on Sunday by Ukrainian twins Nadiia and Liudmyla Kichenok.

Sania and Ankita won the first set and led 5-2 in the second set and yet lost the match 6-0, 6-7, (8-10).

Tennis at the Olympic Games:

Elsewhere, world No.1 and Wimbledon champion Ash Barty lost to Spain’s Sara Sorribes-Tormo, 4-6, 3-6, while home favorites Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori advanced.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Alexander Zverev and Petra Kvitova all made successful debuts in their singles campaigns.


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Tennis: Osaka from the Olympic Games-Tennis-Japan excluded from the third round of Tokyo 2020

by • Tennis olympics

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s top tennis gold prospect Naomi Osaka was defeated in the third round of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament on Tuesday, saying she failed to cope with the pressure of the opportunity .

The world number two was swept 6-1 6-4 by Czech Marketa Vondrousova in a shock result that took a toll on Japan’s gold rush hopes.

Tokyo 2020 marked Osaka’s first tournament since her retirement from Roland Garros in May, when she said she had suffered from depression for nearly three years.

Osaka said at the time that she would boycott press conferences to raise awareness of players’ mental well-being, but spoke to reporters after the loss.

“I really felt like there was a lot of pressure this time around,” she said. “I think maybe it’s because I’ve never been to an Olympics before and the first one to be here was a bit too much.

“But I think I’m happy with the way I played… that I took that break that I had. I’ve already taken long breaks and managed to do well.

“And I’m not saying I did it right away, but I know my expectations were way higher than my result. So… I think my attitude wasn’t that great, but I didn’t. Didn’t really know how to deal with this pressure … so this is the best I could have done in this situation.

“For me, I’m really happy to be here. I’m sad to have lost, of course, but overall very happy with my first Olympic experience.”

The tennis event has now lost its two best women’s draw cards after world number one and Wimbledon champion Ash Barty were beaten in the first round on Sunday.

Osaka, who lit the Olympic cauldron on Friday to open the Games, looked uncomfortable on the Tokyo blues courts and never picked up the pace as Vondrousova pushed forward.

The Japanese player pulverized 18 costly unforced errors throughout the game – three times the number of Vondrousova.

In the quarter-finals, the Czech will face Spain’s Paula Badosa or Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska, who will play later on Tuesday.

(Edited by Muralikumar Anantharaman)


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Tennis: Olympics-Tennis-Murray chose to prioritize doubles over singles after scan

by • Tennis olympics

TOKYO (Reuters) – Andy Murray sacrificed a chance to win a third straight Olympic singles title and decided to focus on competing in men’s doubles at the Tokyo Games after scans confirmed he was having “problems” with his body.

The Briton is the only player to have won two back-to-back Olympic singles titles, but after an injury-ridden run to Tokyo, and with his body still not 100% after the hip resurfacing surgery he suffered in 2019, he decided to prioritize the men’s doubles competition to increase his medal chances.

Murray, who is Joe Salisbury’s partner, said he was feeling good physically but made the decision to retire from the singles following a medical exam. On Sunday, he said he was embarrassed by a thigh injury.

“It was very disappointing. I had prepared well, felt good again and something was showing on the scans that we weren’t very happy with, “Murray, 34, told reporters.

“When we talked about playing, I told Joe if I had any physical issues I would prioritize doubles over singles and that’s why I made this decision.”

“I would have been annoyed on my own if I had decided to play with the problem, if I had made things worse, lost my singles and hadn’t been able to perform well in doubles. ”

“Physically it will be fine for the rest of the tournament, but I’ll have to take a break after that. “

Murray and Salisbury advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-2 7-6 (2) victory over Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz on Tuesday.

(Report by Rozanna Latiff, edited by Pritha Sarkar)


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“Very happy to see that there is a lot of attention towards tennis players”

by • Tennis players

World No.1 Novak Djokovic had little trouble beating Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round of the Tokyo Olympics on Monday. Djokovic won 6-4, 6-3 in just 1 hour and 14 minutes to advance to the round of 16, one step closer to the Golden Slam of the calendar (all four Majors + gold at the Olympics in the same year ).

The Serb is making the most of his time on and off the pitch during his time in Tokyo. He is widely regarded as the most popular figure competing in the Games this year, and several other famous athletes took selfies with him in the Olympic Village.

Novak Djokovic referred to the experience when speaking to reporters after his victory on Monday, and claimed that interacting with other athletes is what makes the Olympics so “special”

“I have a lot of fun on the pitch and I have a lot of fun in the village,” said Djokovic. “For individual athletes like us, it is a very unique experience. It is special for any athlete to be a part of the Olympic Games by representing their own country.”

“There are over 10,000 athletes in the village,” he added. “You walk past them and chat a bit, dine next to them, train next to them, recuperate next to them, talk about life, sports. It’s really something that we don’t. have no opportunity to live at all. “

“The Olympics are the only place where you can feel that team spirit,” Djokovic continued. “This energy that I try to thrive on and use for my performance, and it has worked well so far.”

Novak Djokovic has been turning heads lately, not only because of who he is, but also because of what he is fortunate enough to accomplish this year. Djokovic’s candidacy for the Golden Slam calendar has been buzzing the sports world lately, and the Serbian admitted on Monday that all the attention paid to tennis had made him “very happy”.

“I represent my country and myself, but I also represent tennis,” said Djokovic. “So it’s (the attention) a huge honor, honestly. I’m very happy to see that there is a lot of attention towards tennis players. There are a lot of people who follow tennis and support us. . For me, of course, that gives me good energy to perform well. “

“I’m trying to focus on that,” he added. “I know there’s a lot of follow-up and a lot of expectation. I know the story is on the line, (she) is in my thoughts, it’s in my heart. But I have to keep it pretty simple. for me in order to arrive at the desired destination. “

Novak Djokovic says it was “the right decision” to come to Tokyo

Novak Djokovic at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics
Novak Djokovic at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics

A month ago, Novak Djokovic was reluctant to participate in the Olympics, since no spectators are allowed in the stands. But he finally made the decision to play, much to the delight of his fans.

When asked if he felt compelled to travel to Tokyo due to people’s expectations after his Wimbledon win, Djokovic claimed the decision was based entirely on his mental state.

“I did not allow any pressure from anyone,” Djokovic said. “I actually turned it off; I was with my family and spent three, four days after the Wimbledon final. I didn’t really use my phone much and just needed the time to recover and rejuvenate a bit so that I can have a clear mind for the decision-making process – whether or not I want to come to Tokyo. “

“As I said in London, for me one of the biggest obstacles to coming here was the lack of crowds,” he continued. “I felt like after playing three Olympics it’s not like it was my first Olympics, so I felt like maybe I didn’t know if I wanted to come play in front of the empty stadium. “

“But there were a lot more positives on the other side of things – like what I just spoke about (the experience in the Olympic Village) and of course the representation of my country at the most important sporting event. important to history, ”Djokovic added. “It prevailed, and I’m happy because once I made a decision I was very clear it was the right decision and I’m having a lot of fun here.”

Novak Djokovic is potentially 11 games away (four in Tokyo and seven at the US Open) from finishing the Golden Slam schedule. When asked if he has such a countdown in mind, the Serbian admitted that it is difficult to avoid thinking about the story that is at stake for him at the moment.

“I am very aware of that and I know what is at stake,” said Djokovic. “There are a lot of expectations behind me, especially from Serbia and all the athletes who follow me, and I’m privileged to be in that position to be honest. When you talk about history about the sport you really love, you can’t just be very flat about it. “

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I’m emotionally, obviously very motivated and inspired to write the history of my sport, and sport in general, “he added.” But at the same time, it has to be balanced with goals and routines. short term and the ability to be in the moment and only focus on the next challenge and the next game. “

“So it’s a bit of a mix of the two,” continued the 34-year-old. “I have this guiding star that is there and I see it; it gives me light and energy. But at the same time, I have to stick to what I know works well on a daily basis. . “


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The two Latvian tennis players finish their Olympic run – Baltic News Network

by • Tennis players

Latvian tennis players Alyona Ostapenko and Anastasija Sevastova failed to pass the first leg of the Olympic Games tournament and then lost the double. This means that their participation in the Olympics is over.

Ostapenko and Sevastova failed to make the first leg of the doubles at the Tokyo Olympics. The Latvian team lost to the Australian team with a score of 6-4, 1-6, 10: 5.

Ostapenko lost to Russian Olympic Committee tennis player Elena Vesnina with the score 4-6, 7-6 (7: 2), 4-6. Sevastova lost to French player Fiona Ferro with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 2-6.

Ostapenko is 30th and Vesnina is 305th. Sevastova is 53rd in the WTA ranking system and Ferro is 11 positions lower.

Sevastova was the first to hit the pitch. She started with six unused breakballs, but on the next opponent she scored a point ahead. While in the fifth game Ferro prevented her opponent from breaking his serve, the representative of Latvia managed to do so in the seventh: 5-2. Sevastova won the set and scored 6-2. She also started the second set with confidence, winning her opponent’s serve with 3-0.

Ferro managed to get past the game, pulling out two next serves from Sevastova, equalizing the score. In the tenth game, Sevastova lost to her opponent with a score of 4-6. In the end, Ferro won with a score of 6-2.

Ostapenko and Vesnina have started their match. In the fifth game, Ostapenko broke his opponent’s serve. By the end of the set, Ostapenko had lost two of his serves and lost to his Russian opponent 6-4. Throwing the rack on the floor didn’t help release the emotions.

Ostapenko struggled with his serve in the second set.

Fighting both heat and emotions, Ostapenko attacked with powerful punches that made up for his earlier mistakes.

The second set went without interruption. The winner was determined in a tie-break. In it, Ostapenko took his opponent’s serve three times and took the lead (7: 2).

The third set ended in a 2-2 tie. Eventually, Ostapenko lost his serve, opening up an opportunity for Vesnina. Vesnina scored 40: 0 and got three match balls. Ostapenko fended off two, but was knocked out with the third.

A total of 64 tennis players participate in the one-match tournament. Seven wins are needed to win a title.


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