Gigi Fernandez, who was born in San Juan, won the gold in doubles at the 1992 Barcelona Games and the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics with Mary Joe Fernandez, but she played for the United States not the US commonwealth.
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“Oh what a time.To be alive!” “They’re going through some tough times right now and they needed this, and I needed this”. Before the anthem, Puig touched her gold medal, examined it and looked as if she couldn’t believe it was hers. Puig replied instantly and sent a strong statement that she was not going to be a pushover in this duel.
Monica Puig, of Puerto Rico, returns to Angelique Kerber, of Germany during their final round match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.
Puerto Rico has a complicated Olympic history, but Puig’s medal is, per official records, its first.
The incredible win comes a day after Joseph Schooling beat Michael Phelps to claim Singapore’s first-ever gold, and two days after Fiji won their first-ever medal – also gold – in the men’s rugby sevens.
“If I would’ve stopped crying, I probably would have started singing”, Puig said, smiling at the thought.
“It would mean a lot, obviously”, Murray said after beating fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-1 6-4 to stretch his winning streak to a career-high-tying 17 matches. “I had so many troubles with injuries and everything”.
Kerber, on the other hand, enjoyed victories over Eugenie Bouchard, Samantha Stosur, Johanna Konta and Madison Keys and was favoured on the back of her big game experience, which had seen her win the Australian Open earlier this year as well as reach the final at Wimbledon last month.
Mirroring her Olympic path, Puig’s young career has been a long and trying road since turning pro in 2010.
The 22-year-old outsider, who has never been beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament, stunned Kerber with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory.
In a way, Puig’s win served to highlight the Caribbean island’s standing in the world order.
Puig came back at Kerber and when the German volleyed a forehand into the net the score was level again at 4-4.
And she’ll have the support of Puerto Rico behind her.
“In every match, I got better and better”. Her play merely cemented it.
Kvitova ripped a wide lead against the American at 4-0, then finally closed out the match at 6-2.
The men’s final will feature Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain and Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.
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Williams, the singles champion in Sydney in 2000 and victor of three doubles golds with sister Serena, made early exits from the singles and women’s doubles but the mixed has provided an unexpected bonus. I congratulate Del Potro on a great event for him.
