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Olympic Tennis Day 7: Djokovic stunned, USA misses out on hardware

Posted at 5:08 AM, Jul 30, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-30 11:52:51-04

SINGLES: Zverev, KHACHANOV TO FIGHT FOR GOLD

MEN'S SINGLES RESULTS

Karen Khachanov (ROC) def. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)

The Russian Olympic Committee's Karen Khachanov upset Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-3. The No. 12-seeded Khachanov hammered 10 aces in the 79-minute effort.

Alexander Zverev (GER) def. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

With his 6-1, 3-6, 1-6 semifinal loss to Germany's Alexander Zverev on Friday, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic will advance to his third bronze medal match in four Olympic appearances.

Djokovic, who didn't drop a set through his first four matches of the tournament, faced his first challenge in the No. 4-seeded Zverev. Although Djokovic put up a 6-1 win in the first set, Zverev battled back to take the second set, then broke Djokovic to open the third and went up 4-0 before Djokovic finally won a game.

Djokovic will play Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta for bronze; Zverev will play the ROC's Karen Khachanov for gold.

SEE MORE: ROC's Khachanov punches ticket to men's tennis final

MEN'S DOUBLES: CROATIA BEATS CROATIA, USA FALLS IN MEN'S BRONZE

MEN'S DOUBLES RESULTS

GOLD: Mektic/Pavic (CRO) v. Cilic/Dodig (CRO)

It took a decisive ten-point tiebreak, but the top-seeded pairing of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic took home gold against fellow Croatians Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig.

Mektic and Pavic won the first set 6-4, but the unseeded duo of Cilic and Dodig controlled much of the second set to force the tiebreak. They almost got back into it after falling behind 6-0 - at one point making it 8-6 - but Mektic and Pavic finished the job and sealed the podium's top step. 

BRONZE: Daniell/Venus (NZL) def. Krajicek/Sandgren (USA)

The American duo of Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren fell to New Zealand's Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus in the men's doubles match on Friday in Tokyo.

Krajicek and Sandgren kept things close in the first set, leading multiple times before ultimately losing a tiebreak set. They went down 3-0 to start the second set, but battled back to 4-2 before dropping the final two games. 

The bronze is New Zealand's first Olympic medal in tennis. The American pair was the nation's last hope of winning a tennis medal at these Olympics.

SEE MORE: New Zealand tops U.S. for men's doubles bronze

MIXED DOUBLES: ROC v. ROC in GOLD MEDAL MATCH

MIXED DOUBLES RESULTS

Pavlyuchenkova/Rublev (ROC) def. Barty/Peers (AUS) 

World No. 1 women's singles player Ash Barty and John Peers fell to the ROC's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Andrey Rublev 5-7, 6-4 and 13-11 in a tiebreak, the latter advancing to the gold medal match. Barty — who was upset in the first round of women's singles — and Peers will still have a shot at making the podium in the bronze medal match.

Vesnina/Karatsev (ROC) v. Stojanovic/Djokovic (SRB)

The ROC's Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev knocked off Serbia's Nina Stojanovic and Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 7-6, 7-5.

Vesnina and Karatsev's win sets up an all-ROC gold medal match with Pavlyuchenkova and Rublev. Stojanovic and Djokovic will play Barty and Peers in the bronze medal match.