Serena and Venus Williams have been ousted from the women’s doubles competition in the first round at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. While their busy schedules have kept them apart, when it comes to important moments, it looks like they make time and space for each other.
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The Czech pair overthrew the U.S. hegemony who won three gold medals together in London 2012, Beijing 2008 and Sydney 2000.
Safarova and Strycova did their best to keep hitting shots toward Venus when she was at the baseline.
Williams – a seven-time Grand Slam champion who was seeded fifth – was neck-and-neck with the unseeded Flipkens in the first set, but managed to overcome her opponent.
“I had a chance to come back in the third set but every time I came close to pegging her back, I missed the opportunity”, said the world No. 26. They have never lost an Olympic doubles match – until Sunday.
And get this: They weren’t even supposed to be playing together at the Olympics. 1980), a seven-time Grand Slam title victor (singles), and Serena Williams (b.
Germany’s Kerber, who won the 2016 Australian Open, dispatched Colombia’s Mariana Duque-Marino in two sets 6-3 7-5 but also struggled with wind after a long delay to her match.
Strycova replaced Karolina Pliskova, who withdrew because of Zika concerns.
Both women have also won Olympic gold medals in singles play, with Venus triumphing in Sydney and then Serena becoming champion in London. “If there is not Olympic Games here I would not be here competing”. “US!” chant late in the third set, others responded by booing (Kerry had left by then).
During the game, some of the audience would cheer for the sisters but would get boos in return.
The loss was the culmination of a day which began with Serena’s 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australia’s Daria Gavrilova. She missed out on Athens in 2004, when Venus suffered a first-round defeat alongside Chanda Rubin.
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At least, Serena is still alive in the singles as the defending champion had the flawless start in her quest for a fifth Games gold medal overall, defeating Australia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-4, 6-2.
