Olympics

Tennis at the Olympics
Tennis at the 2012 Olympics

It is the Olympic year, so I thought I should add such a page to my blog. Tennis returned to the Olympic Games after sixty-four years in Seoul 1988. In the Open era there were two editions before, in  Mexico City 1968 and in Los Angeles 1984, the event had a demonstration status in both cases though. In 1984 only under-20 players were permitted to participate, 18-year-old Stefan Edberg got the gold medal; although the tournament wasn’t official, is recognized as 1 out of 42 Edberg’s titles. Six official editions have been held in the Open era thus far on four different continents (Asia and Europe twice, North America and Australia once). This year London (Wimbledon) is a host and for the first time the Olympic tournament will be held on grass (five times hardcourts, once clay thus far). Arguably it’s the fifth biggest tennis event after four majors, specific qualification in which entry is limited to four players from a country, opens the gates to lower ranked players. In every edition at least one player, who has never reached quarterfinals in a Grand Slam tournament, advanced to the Olympic last 8. 

In the picture Miloslav Mečíř with the gold medal in Seoul 1988

The tournament format:
—
# always 64 draw in singles, 32 in doubles
# in years 1996-2012 all matches “the best of three” except the singles final “the best of five”
# in the first two editions (1988, 1992) all matches “the best of five” singles and doubles
# no tie-break in the final set
# bronze medal (third-place) match since 1996, in the first two editions both defeated players or pairs in the semifinals received bronze medals
# in 2004 for the first time  points counted to the ATP rankings
# in 2012 for the first time mixed-doubles – 16 draw, super tie-break instead of the deciding set

Medals by country (singles, doubles, mixed doubles):

8 – USA
5 – Spain
4 – Germany, Chile, Switzerland
3 – France, Great Britain, Sweden, Croatia
2 – Argentina, Australia, Czechoslovakia *, Russia **
1 – Belarus, Canada, South Africa, India, Serbia

* Mecir is Slovak, Srejber is Czech, they represented Czechoslovakia in 1988
** Cherkasov obtained the bronze medal in 1992 for CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States)

 …Stats…
Longest matches:
Singles: Barcelona, F – Marc Rosset d. Jordi Arrese 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 8-6 (5 hours, 3 minutes)
Doubles: Beijing, SF – Thomas Johansson / Simon Aspelin def. Arnaud Clement / Michael Llodra
7-6, 4-6, 19-17 (4 hours, 46 minutes)
Longest final set:
Singles: London, 2R – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Milos Raonic 6-3, 3-6, 25-23
Doubles: London, 2R – Marcelo Melo / Bruno Soares def. Tomas Berdych / Radek Stepanek 2-6, 6-4, 24-22
Longest tie-break:
Singles: London, 3R – John Isner d. Janko Tipsarevic 7-5, 7-6(14)
Doubles: Seoul, 1R – Gabor Koves / Laszlo Markovits d. Leonardo Lavalle / Agustin Moreno
3-6, 6-3, 6-7(10), 6-4, 6-4

Multiple medalists:
3 – Fernando Gonzalez (2004 – gold doubles, bronze singles; 2008 – silver singles)
3 – Roger Federer (2000 – bronze singles; 2008 – gold doubles; 2012 – silver singles)
3 – Mike Bryan (2008 – bronze doubles; 2012 – gold doubles, bronze mixed doubles)
2 – Miloslav Mecir (1988 – gold singles, bronze doubles)
2 – Stefan Edberg (1988 – bronze singles & doubles)
2 – Goran Ivanisevic (1992 – bronze singles & doubles)
2 – Todd Woodbridge/Mark Woodforde (1996 – gold doubles; 2000 – silver doubles)
2 – Nicolas Massu (2004 – gold singles & doubles)
2 – Bob Bryan (2008 – bronze doubles; 2012 – gold doubles)
2 – Andy Murray (2012 – gold singles & silver mixed doubles)

Most appearances: 6 – Leander Paes (1992 – singles & doubles; 1996 – singles/bronze medal & doubles; 2000 – singles & doubles; 2004 – doubles; 2008 – doubles; 2012 – doubles & mixed); 5 – Mark Knowles (1992-2008) & Daniel Nestor (1996-2012)
Most appearances in singles: 4 – Andrei Pavel (1992-2004) & Roger Federer (2000-2012)

***
All Olympics scorelines in years 2012-1988, quarterfinals and onwards:

LONDON – 2012
Great Britain; July 28-August 5, 2012; Grass

Quarterfinals
(1)Roger Federer (SUI) d. (10)John Isner (USA) 6-4 7-6(5)
(8)Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) d. (15)Kei Nishikori (JPN) 6-4 7-6(4)
(3)Andy Murray (GBR) d. (11)Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-4 6-1
(2)Novak Djokovic (SRB) d. (5)Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-1 7-5
Semifinals
(1)Roger Federer (SUI) d. (8)Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 3-6 7-6(5) 19-17
(3)Andy Murray (GBR) d. (2)Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7-5 7-5
Third place match
(8)Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) d. (2)Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7-5 6-4
Final
(3)Andy Murray (GBR) d. (1)Roger Federer (SUI) 6-2 6-1 6-4

Quarterfinals
(1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) d. Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram (ISR) 7-6(4) 7-6(10)
Julien Benneteau/Richard Gasquet (FRA) d. (3)Janko Tipsarevic/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) 6-4 7-6(3)
David Ferrer/Feliciano Lopez (ESP) d. Marin Cilic/Ivan Dodig (CRO) 6-4 6-4
(2)Michael Llodra/Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) d. Marcelo Melo/Bruno Soares (BRA) 6-4 6-2
Semifinals
(1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) d. Julien Benneteau/Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-4 6-4
(2)Michael Llodra/Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) d. David Ferrer/Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-3 4-6 18-16 – 4 m.p.
Third place match
Julien Benneteau/Richard Gasquet (FRA) d. David Ferrer/Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-6(4) 6-2
Finals
(1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) d. (2)Michael Llodra/Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-4 7-6(2)

Semifinals
(1)Max Mirnyi/Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (3)Mike Bryan/Lisa Raymond (USA) 3-6 6-4 [10-7]
Andy Murray/Laura Robson (GBR) d. Christian Kas/Sabine Lisicki (GER) 6-1 6-7(7) [10-7]
Third place match
(3)Mike Bryan/Lisa Raymond (USA) d. Christian Kas/Sabine Lisicki (GER) 6-3 4-6 [10-4]
Finals
(1)Max Mirnyi/Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Andy Murray/Laura Robson (GBR) 2-6 6-3 [10-8]

BEIJING – 2008
China; August 10-17, 2008; Hard

Quarterfinals
(8)James Blake (USA) d. (1)Roger Federer (SUI) 6-4 7-6(2)
(12)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) d. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 6-4 6-4
(3)Novak Djokovic (SRB) d. Gael Monfils (FRA) 4-6 6-1 6-4
(2)Rafael Nadal (ESP) d. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 6-0 6-4
Semifinals
(12)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) d. (8)James Blake (USA) 4-6 7-5 11-9 – 3 m.p.
(2)Rafael Nadal (ESP) d. (3)Novak Djokovic (SRB) 6-4 1-6 6-4
Third place match
(3)Novak Djokovic (SRB) d. (8)James Blake (USA) 6-3 7-6(4)
Final
(2)Rafael Nadal (ESP) d. (12)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 6-3 7-6(2) 6-3

Quarterfinals
(1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) d. Chris Guccione/Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-4 6-3
(4)Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) d. (7)Mahesh Bhupathi/Leander Paes (IND) 6-2 6-4
Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra (FRA) d. (8)Igor Andreev/Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-2 6-7(4) 6-4
Simon Aspelin/Thomas Johansson (SWE) d. Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski (POL) 7-6(5) 6-4
Semifinals
(4)Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) d. (1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) 7-6(6) 6-4
Simon Aspelin/Thomas Johansson (SWE) d. Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra (FRA) 7-6(6) 4-6 19-17
Third place match
(1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) d. Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra (FRA) 3-6 6-3 6-4
Final
(4)Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) d. Simon Aspelin/Thomas Johansson (SWE) 6-3 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3

ATHENS – 2004 
Greece; August 15-22, 2004; Hard

Quarterfinals
Taylor Dent (USA) d. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-4 6-1
(10)Nicolas Massu (CHI) d. (3)Carlos Moya (ESP) 6-2 7-5
Mardy Fish (USA) d. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 6-3 6-4
(16)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) d. (8)Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 6-2 2-6 6-4
Semifinals
(10)Nicolas Massu (CHI) d. Taylor Dent (USA) 7-6(5) 6-1
Mardy Fish (USA) d. (16)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 3-6 6-3 6-4
Third place match
(16)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) d. Taylor Dent (USA) 6-4 2-6 16-14 – 1 m.p.
Final
(10)Nicolas Massu (CHI) d. Mardy Fish (USA) 6-3 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-4

Quarterfinals
Fernando Gonzalez/Nicolas Massu (CHI) d. (1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) 7-5 6-4
Mario Ancic/Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) d. (3)Michael Llodra/Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 4-6 6-3 9-7
(5)Mahesh Bhupathi/Leander Paes (IND) d. (4)Wayne Black/Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) 6-4 6-4
Nicolas Kiefer/Rainer Schuettler (GER) d. (8)Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram (ISR) 2-6 6-2 6-2
Semifinals
Fernando Gonzalez/Nicolas Massu (CHI) d. Mario Ancic/Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) 7-5 4-6 6-4
Nicolas Kiefer/Rainer Schuettler (GER) d. (5)Mahesh Bhupathi/Leander Paes (IND) 6-2 6-3
Third place match
Mario Ancic/Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) d. (5)Mahesh Bhupathi/Leander Paes (IND) 7-6(5) 4-6 16-14
Final
Fer. Gonzalez/Nicolas Massu (CHI) d. Nicolas Kiefer/Rainer Schuettler (GER) 6-2 4-6 3-6 7-6(7) 6-4 – 4 m.p.

SYDNEY – 2000
Australia; September 19-28, 2000; Hard

Quarterfinals
Roger Federer (SUI) d. Karim Alami (MAR) 7-6(2) 6-1
Tommy Haas (GER) d. Max Mirnyi (BLR) 4-6 7-5 6-3
Arnaud Di Pasquale (FRA) d. (8)Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 6-2 6-1
(5)Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) d. (2)Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 6-4 7-5
Semifinals
Tommy Haas (GER) d. Roger Federer (SUI) 6-3 6-2
(5)Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) d. Arnaud Di Pasquale (FRA) 6-4 6-4
Third place match
Arnaud Di Pasquale (FRA) d. Roger Federer (SUI) 7-6(5) 6-7(7) 6-3
Final
(5)Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) d. Tommy Haas (GER) 7-6(4) 3-6 6-2 4-6 6-3

Quarterfinals
(1)Todd Woodbridge/Mark Woodforde (AUS) d. Dominik Hrbaty/Karol Kucera (SVK) 7-6(5) 6-4
Alex Corretja/Albert Costa (ESP) d. Max Mirnyi/Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) 6-7(4) 6-3 7-5
(4)Sebastien Lareau/Daniel Nestor (CAN) d. Tommy Haas/David Prinosil (GER) 6-0 6-4
(5)David Adams/John-Laffnie de Jager (RSA) d. Mark Knowles/Mark Merklein (BAH) 4-6 6-2 14-12
Semifinals
(1)Todd Woodbridge/Mark Woodforde (AUS) d. Alex Corretja/Albert Costa (ESP) 6-3 7-6(5)
(4)Sebastien Lareau/Daniel Nestor (CAN) d. (5)David Adams/John-Laffnie de Jager (RSA) 6-1 6-2
Third place match
Alex Corretja/Albert Costa (ESP) d. (5)David Adams/John-Laffnie de Jager (RSA) 2-6 6-4 6-3
Final
(4)Sebastien Lareau/Daniel Nestor (CAN) d. (1)Todd Woodbridge/Mark Woodforde (AUS) 5-7 6-3 6-4 7-6(2)

ATLANTA – 1996
USA; July 22-29; Hard

Quarterfinals
(1)Andre Agassi (USA) d. (5)Wayne Ferreira (RSA) 7-5 4-6 7-5
(WC)Leander Paes (IND) d. (14)Renzo Furlan (ITA) 6-1 7-5
Sergi Bruguera (ESP) d. (4)MaliVai Washington (USA) 7-6(8) 4-6 7-5
Fernando Meligeni (BRA) d. (WC)Andrei Olhovskiy (RUS) 6-7(5) 7-5 6-3
Semifinals
(1)Andre Agassi (USA) d. (WC)Leander Paes (IND) 7-6(5) 6-3
Sergi Bruguera (ESP) d. Fernando Meligeni (BRA) 7-6(9) 6-2
Third place match
(WC)Leander Paes (IND) d. Fernando Meligeni (BRA) 3-6 6-2 6-4
Finals
(1)Andre Agassi (USA) d. Sergi Bruguera (ESP) 6-2 6-3 6-1

Quarterfinals
(1)Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde (AUS) d. Sergi Bruguera / Tomas Carbonell (ESP) 6-4 6-1
(3)Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis (NED) d. (6)Ellis Ferreira / Wayne Ferreira (RSA) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
Neil Broad / Tim Henman (GBR) d. (5)Jiri Novak / Daniel Vacek (CZE) 7-6(4) 6-4
Mark-Kevin Goellner / David Prinosil (GER) d. Goran Ivanisevic / Sasha Hirszon (CRO) 6-2 6-3
Semifinals
(1)Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde (AUS) d. (3)Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis (NED) 6-2 5-7 18-16 – 2 m.p.
Neil Broad / Tim Henman (GBR) d. Mark-Kevin Goellner / David Prinosil (GER) 4-6 6-3 10-8
Third place match
Mark-Kevin Goellner / David Prinosil (GER) d. (3)Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis (NED) 6-2 7-5
Final
(1)Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde (AUS) d. Neil Broad / Tim Henman (GBR) 6-4 6-4 6-2

BARCELONA – 1992
Spain; 28 July – 8 August 1992; Clay

Quarterfinal
Marc Rosset (SUI) d. (12)Emilio Sanchez (ESP) 6-4 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(9)
(4)Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) d. Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 6-7(5) 6-7(1) 6-4 6-4 8-6 – 2 m.p.
(13)Andrei Cherkasov (CIS) d. Jaime Oncins (BRA) 6-1 6-4 6-7(3) 4-6 6-2
(16)Jordi Arrese (ESP) (16) d. Leonardo Lavalle (MEX) 6-1 7-6(6) 6-1
Semifinal
Marc Rosset (SUI) d. (4)Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) 6-3 7-5 6-2
(16)Jordi Arrese (ESP) d. (13)Andrei Cherkasov (CIS) 6-4 7-6(4) 3-6 6-3
Final
Marc Rosset (SUI) d. (16)Jordi Arrese (ESP) 7-6(2) 6-4 3-6 4-6 8-6

Quarterfinal
Goran Ivanisevic / Goran Prpic (CRO) d. Ramesh Krishnan / Leander Paes (IND) 7-6(3) 5-7 6-4 6-3
(4)Wayne Ferreira / Piet Norval (RSA) d. George Cosac / Dinu Pescariu (ROM) 6-0 6-3 6-2
(6)Boris Becker / Michael Stich (GER) d. (3)Sergio Casal / Emilio Sanchez (ESP) 6-3 4-6 7-6(9) 5-7 6-3
(7)Javier Frana / Christian Miniussi (ARG) d. (2)Jakob Hlasek / Marc Rosset (SUI) 2-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2 6-2
Semifinal
(4)Wayne Ferreira / Piet Norval (RSA) d. Goran Ivanisevic / Goran Prpic (CRO) 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3 2-6 6-2
(6)Boris Becker / Michael Stich (GER) d. (7)Javier Frana / Christian Miniussi (ARG) 7-6(3) 6-2 6-7(4) 2-6 6-4
Final
(6)Boris Becker / Michael Stich (GER) d. (4)Wayne Ferreira / Piet Norval (RSA) 7-6(5) 4-6 7-6(5) 6-3

SEOUL – 1988
South Korea; September 20 – October 1, 1988; Hard

Quarterfinal
(1)Stefan Edberg (SWE) d. Paolo Cane (ITA) 6-1 7-5 6-4
(3)Miloslav Mecir (TCH) d. Michiel Schapers (NED) 3-6 7-6(2) 6-2 6-4
(5)Brad Gilbert (USA) d. (13)Martin Jaite (ARG) 5-7 6-1 7-6(1) 6-3
(2)Tim Mayotte (USA) d. Carl-Uwe Steeb (GER) 7-6(4) 7-5 6-3
Semifinal
(3)Miloslav Mecir (TCH) d. (1)Stefan Edberg (SWE) 3-6 6-0 1-6 6-4 6-2
(2)Tim Mayotte (USA) d. (5)Brad Gilbert (USA) 6-4 6-4 6-3
Final
(3)Miloslav Mecir (TCH) d. (2)Tim Mayotte (USA) 3-6 6-2 6-4 6-2

Quarterfinal
(1)Ken Flach / Robert Seguso (USA) d. Morten Christensen / Michael Tauson (DEN) 6-4 7-5 6-2
(8)Miloslav Mecir / Milan Srejber (TCH) d. (4)Guy Forget / Henri Leconte (FRA) 3-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 9-7
(5)Stefan Edberg / Anders Jarryd (SWE) d. (3)Darren Cahill / John Fitzgerald (AUS) 6-3 6-4 6-3
(2)Sergio Casal / Emilio Sanchez (ESP) d. Goran Ivanisevic / Slobodan Zivojinovic (YUG) 6-1 7-6(3) 6-3
Semifinal
(1)Ken Flach / Robert Seguso (USA) d. (8)Miloslav Mecir / Milan Srejber (TCH) 6-2 6-4 6-1
(2)Sergio Casal / Emilio Sanchez (ESP) d. (5)Stefan Edberg / Anders Jarryd (SWE) 6-4 1-6 6-3 6-2
Final
(1)Ken Flach / Robert Seguso (USA) d. (2)Sergio Casal / Emilio Sanchez (ESP) 6-3 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(1) 9-7