Olympic tennis tournament

[Matra2]

According to a headline in the Washington Times:

USA tennis team headed by Williams sisters, Bryan brothers, Andy Roddick

http://communities.washingtontimes....2-Olympics-USA-tennis-Williams-Bryan-Roddick/

I've nothing against the Bryan brothers. Based on what I've seen of them they seem like decent guys. But any team "headed" by the Williams sisters along with the spoiled brat Andy Roddick will be a team I'm cheering against.

According to the ESPN commentators it looks like a Serena Williams/Andy Roddick partnership for the mixed doubles. I can in all honesty say this will be my most hated doubles team ever. They are the two players in all of tennis that I like least.

As an aside, when I was looking up this story the headline underneath the linked article above was:

US Olympian Donald Young stumbles at Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_...nis_championships_us_olympian_young_stumbles/

Young has now lost 14 first round matches in a row. (But he's still an Olympian!)

I've notice quite a few tennis players have been chosen to be the flag bearers for their country in the opening ceremony.

Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal will lead out the athletes of their respective nations.

Maria Sharapova will represent Russian womanhood carrying her country's flag.

Serena Williams for :usa2:?

 

[Quiet Speed]

Roddick and S. Williams playing mixed doubles? Awkward.

[video=youtube_share;DUIlCaVIvXY]http://youtu.be/DUIlCaVIvXY[/video]

 

[Matra2]

The US men's singles representatives are Andy Roddick, John Isner, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison. The highest ranked US player Mardy Fish won't be there, probably due to his health problems. Sam Querrey, ranked #55 is also absent, unlike Donald Young ranked #57. Querrey only overtook Young after his Wimbledon performance and I believe the team was chosen before Wimbledon. Given that Young has lost his last 14 first round matches he seems like a write-off choice for the US.

 

[Quiet Speed]

The US men's singles representatives are Andy Roddick, John Isner, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison. The highest ranked US player Mardy Fish won't be there, probably due to his health problems. Sam Querrey, ranked #55 is also absent, unlike Donald Young ranked #57. Querrey only overtook Young after his Wimbledon performance and I believe the team was chosen before Wimbledon. Given that Young has lost his last 14 first round matches he seems like a write-off choice for the US.

I guess it’s now 15 straight first round matches lost after yesterday’s defeat at the BB&T Atlanta Open.

 

[Matra2]

Rafa Nadal will not be participating due to injury. He won the gold in Beijing. Gael Monfils, a black player from France, is also out.

Quiet Speed - Roddick and Serena as a partnership won't be awkward as they are apparently good friends off the court.

 

[Matra2]

No surprises so far in tennis. News today that Serena Williams and Andy Roddick will not play mixed doubles after all. The "team" claims it has decided to go with doubles specialists. I'm suspicious though. Serena talked non-stop about winning singles, doubles, and mixed doubles gold medals for months then she suddenly went quiet on the subject in recent weeks. Perhaps she did not think she'd be fit enough to play in all three and so backed out leaving Team USA to come up with an excuse? However, Serena and her sister will play doubles and based on the hopelessness of much of women's tennis I wouldn't be surprised if they took home gold.

Meanwhile, Roddick just got bounced out of the singles by Novak Djokovic who is looking really strong.

 

[Matra2]

Azarenka chokes again. She lost to Serena 6-1 6-2. So it is now up to Sharapova to prevent Serena from getting the gold in the beauty versus the beast final.

 

[Giles Daldanus]

All in all, I enjoyed the tennis tournament at the Olympics, but I didn’t expect Andy Murray and Serena Williams to totally dominate their opponents and claim their gold medals with such ease (they were absolutely flawless in the finals and certainly deserve their titles, but the gold medal matches didn’t produce that many memorable moments). Azarenka and Sharapova were not at their best, but at least the former won the doubles title (paired with fellow Belarusian Max Mirnyi) and it’s clear that she is really dedicated to her country (I am certain that she would never accept a lucrative offer to represent another state like Kazakhstan or Qatar). Andy Murray’s amazing performance (in the mixed doubles as well) should spur him on to even greater heights (like winning a grand slam) …the fatigue may have caught up with Federer given the nature of the Olympics competition, but even a well-rested Federer would have found it extremely difficult to prevail against the top British player. I am sure that Federer will be able to swallow the disappointment and will retain his hunger for further successes (we may see him in Rio de Janeiro). He will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in men’s tennis (at least for another 3-4 years).