Serena Williams reacts during her women’s singles third round match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Tennis Centre on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
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She added: “It was a great opportunity”. “It didn’t work out the way I wanted to, but at least I was able to make it to Rio”.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed, but she played really well”, said Williams, whose voice was raspy after the match.
New Zealand rugby sevens player Sonny Bill Williams’ Achilles tendon, ruling him out of the Olympics in Japan’s shock win over the Kiwis. “But I can’t wait for next time and I know next time it’s going to be a really good match and I look forward to it”. Just play the ball, don’t play against Serena Williams, who is Olympic champion and (winner of) so many other Grand Slams.
Svitolina, who was 0-4 against Williams coming into the match, said she could sense Williams was injured.
Double faults continued to haunt her in the next game as she served five of them to gift Svitolina a 4-3 lead.
Williams follows men’s top seed Novak Djokovic in exiting the Olympics after he was defeated in both singles and doubles.
Fresh off the biggest win of her career, 21-year-old Svitolina will also look to propel herself to an Olympic medal. The Ukrainian committed just 15 unforced errors compared to 35 for Williams.
On Saturday night, Venus’ availability for doubles was put in doubt by US women’s tennis coach Mary Joe Fernandez, who said the four-time gold medalist and seven-time Grand Slam champion had cramping, dehydration and an upset stomach following a first-round loss in singles. “That was one of my goals”.
Serena is now out of the Olympics altogether, after also losing in the first round in doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams.
Their most recent match came at the French Open on June 1, and it ended with Williams winning 6-1, 6-1.
With her fifth double-fault, Svitolina won the game, and closed out the set.
Seeded No. 1 at the Rio de Janeiro Games, Williams was hardly at her best in the 91-minute contest against Gavrilova, who is ranked 46th and only once has been past the second round at a major tournament.
But Williams broke right back in the next game to take the set.
On Monday, Williams managed to turn things around, as she so often does.
In men’s competition, second seed Andy Murray raced into the last 16, blitzing Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 6-1.
Nadal, like Murray looking to become the first player to win two singles golds, faces France’s Gilles Simon. “He hasn’t been fit in the last few years – that’s the reason it was a first-round draw”.
Svitolina will next play two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
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The women’s draw is particularly interesting, as Madison Keys will now have an opportunity to salvage a medal for the United States.
