Internet Desk: Japan’s Kei Nishikori, had never been past the quarter-finals in Olympics, claimed his first Olympic medal by beating Spain’s 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal for men’s singles Bronze Medal play-off match on Sunday.
Nadal was playing his 11th match of the week after winning gold in the doubles alongside best friend Marc Lopez. Nadal, who had already won men’s doubles gold, recovered from 5-2 down in the second set to level the match, but lost 6-2 6-7 (1-7) 6-3.
His semi-final against Juan Martin Del Potro on Saturday, the first time he has ever lost an Olympics singles match, lasted more than three hours and the Spaniard was certainly not at his sharpest.
Meanwhile, four years after pairing up for the first time ahead of the Olympic tennis event in London, No.7 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina strike gold in Rio, taking out No.5 seeds and World Co-No.1 Martina Hingis and countrywoman Timea Bacsinszky, 6-4, 6-4.