“It was what it was”. We have a chance to compete for our country and did the best that we can.
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“I am sad and disappointed, not only because I am unable to travel to Greece and participate in the Olympics but also because I gave my word that I would play”, she told the outlet at the time.
“I wouldn’t say it’s devastating”. It was a lot of fun and we will always remember these moments and these matches. Chicago Tribune said that they won in the 2000, 2008, and 2012 Olympics, and people were not expecting any less from them. According to Biography.com, the championship tennis player insists on using the same shower, tying her shoes the same way and wearing the same socks for the duration of a tournament.
“But we came up against a very strong team. So we wish them the best of luck in the rest of the event, and we’ll get ready for the US Open in doubles”.
Strycova and Safarova did their best to keep hitting shots at the baseline towards Venus, while Serena was left to watch those exchanges as she stood near the net. The seventh-seeded American is favored to win over Mladenovic, who defeated Aleksandra Krunic of Russian Federation in her first-round assignment.
But these were the Williams women, winners of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles. Though their opponents have never won an Olympics, they lost to a 6-3, 6-4 final score.
Serena, 34, was more damning.
“We played awful”, Serena Williams said, according to ABC News, “and it showed in the results”. But age, sickness and a persistent pair of Czechoslovakians combined in a cruel and stunning end to the sisters’ Olympic doubles career.
Williams, sporting a patriotic Stars and Stripes hairband on centre court, will next face Alize Cornet, the Frenchwoman who defeated her three times in 2014, including at Wimbledon.
There is a first time for everything.
Nadal, playing his first match in two months, made the second round with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Federico Delbonis of Argentina.
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No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber overcame a scratchy start to dismiss Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia 6-3, 7-5.
