An absorbing men’s doubles final at Rio 2016 ended in victory for Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal, who is now a two-time Olympic champion.
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Later, defending men’s champion Andy Murray faces volatile Fabio Fognini of Italy with the pair standing at 2-2 in their career head to heads.
American seventh seed Madison Keys saw off Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1.
He will face Juan Martín Del Potro of Argentina on Saturday for a place in the championship match.
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The withdrawal from mixed doubles, which he was set to play with 2016 French Open victor Garbine Muguruza, was a necessary evil and the right call from a players whose schedule judgment hasn’t always been the most sound.
On that occasion their smash went too long, with Nadal and Lopez able to celebrate a hard fought 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 triumph.
They’ve known each other since they were kids, first meeting in Barcelona when Nadal, who is four years younger, asked Lopez to play a set for fun. “I will be at a disadvantage, but the scheduling is just something you have to accept”, he said.
“My only priority is that I have a silver medal for sure”, he said. In an age in which golfers and (some) tennis players can’t get out of the Olympics fast enough (if they make it there at all), Nadal’s fervor is refreshing.
The other women’s singles match that wasn’t immediately postponed was Monica Puig of Puerto Rico against Laura Siegemund of Germany.
Nadal, the Beijing 2008 champion, who had overcome serious fitness concerns to even reach these Olympics, was made to wait after Megea and Tecau hit back to break early in the second set.
And Rafa is playing with that great attitude, but if he drops balls short like he did today against Bellucci, Del Potro will punish him just like Bellucci did.
Nadal and Marc Lopez are into the men’s doubles final and Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky reached the last four of the women’s doubles. “It’s the most special feeling when you put on your colors of your country and you’re walking around the Olympic Village and everybody looks to see your country on the back of your shirt”.
“Close to going out”, Murray said after winning despite trailing by a break in the third set for the second match in a row. “And then, unfortunately, there was that call”. The world No. 5 is playing in the mixed event with Garbine Muguruza.
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Murray’s hopes of a golden double were dashed when he and partner Heather Watson lost 6-4, 6-4 to Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna of India in the mixed doubles quarter-finals.
