Australia’s women’s doubles hopes are at odds as Daria Gavrilova and Samantha Stosur prepare to go head-to-head with Swiss powerhouse duo Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky. Join The Roar from around 6am (AEST) for live coverage.
The Australian and Swiss teams may not have much experience playing together in 2016 but that shouldn’t stop them putting on a wonderful show to kick off the women’s doubles at Rio.
Australia’s two top female tennis players Daria Gavrilova and Samantha Stosur played together at the recent Rogers Cup making their way through to the quarter-finals.
The pair began their journey as wildcard entrants with a win over Chuang Chia-jung and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.
They then pulled out an impressive performance against Czech duo Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova to win 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 before meeting Russian fourth seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
They went down to the Russians in straight sets 6-7, 0-6 with the team going on to defeat Romania’s Simona Halep and Monica Niculescu in the final.
They will go into this match as underdogs, however, they will be benefited by the camaraderie that has been built up on the WTA Tour over the past few years.
World No.1 women’s doubles player Martina Hingis will make her first Olympic appearance in 20 years after she reached the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles with Patty Schnyder at Atlanta in 1996.
It will likely be her last shot at Olympic gold as she links up with Timea Bacsinszky, who previously competed at Beijing in 2008 when she took part in the singles draw.
The pair have not played together in 2016 which will prove a major challenge, however, with the brilliance of Hingis and her dominance in doubles tennis they should prove to be an unstoppable force for the Australians.
The winner will face off against either Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja, or Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Vandeweghe of the United States of America.
Prediction
Hingis and Bacsinszky will take a while to find their groove but after they do, the Swiss duo will be hard to stop and move into the second round.
Switzerland in three sets.
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Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
That concludes The Roar’s coverage of the women's tennis doubles. Be sure to join us over the remainder of the tournament with plenty more tennis, swimming, athletics, hockey, basketball, rugby sevens, cycling and more to come. I'll be back this afternoon from 4pm (AEST) for live coverage of Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys. Vas Venkatramani is live at the moment with the swimming. You can join him here: http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/08/07/rio-olympics-swimming-day-1-womens-4x100m-freestlyle-relay-final-results-live-blog/ Thanks for following along.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
We are still delayed here at Rio and we'll wrap it up here. Switzerland lead in the third set 6-4, 4-6, 2-1.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
After a long delay we seem to be back underway here at Rio.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Hingis on serve, very tight wrestle and Switzerland hold serve. Australia 4 6 1 Switzerland 6 4 2
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stosur on serve, Australia blast away to a 40-0 lead and hold serve to go level at 1-1 Australia 4 6 1 Switzerland 6 4 1
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Bacsinszky on serve, Switzerland get off to a good start in the third set with Hingis showing brilliance to put them in front. Australia 4 6 0 Switzerland 6 4 1
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
END SECOND SET Aces: 0 - 0 Double Faults: 0 - 1 1st Serve: 24/36 (67%) - 28/38 (74%) 2nd Serve: 12/12 (100%) - 9/10 (90%) Receiving Points Won: 17/38 (45%) - 14/36 (39%) Break Points Conversions: 2/8 (25%) - 1/8 (13%) Total Points Won: 39 - 35
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stosur on serve, Australia with some good tennis. Our girls hold serve and we are going to a third set! Australia 4 6 Switzerland 6 4
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Bacsinszky on serve, a great comeback from Stosur and Gavrilova here. Both showing plenty of composure, looks like we're in for a big finish to this match. Its either going to end in a tiebreaker or third set. Australia 4 5 Switzerland 6 4
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Gavrilova on serve, good effort by Dasha and Sam as our girls hold serve. That's the Aussie spirit, look out Switzerland! Australia 4 4 Switzerland 6 4
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Hingis on serve, Switzerland going strongly here. Australia take it to deuce, what a comeback! We might still be in this. Australia 4 3 Switzerland 6 4
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stosur on serve, the Aussies need to win this game to be any chance. The Swiss break serve and are just two games away from a win. Australia 4 2 Switzerland 6 4
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Bacsinszky on serve, the Swiss charge ahead to lead 3-2 in the second Australia 4 2 Switzerland 6 3
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Gavrilova on serve, what a game so far from Hingis and Bacsinszky leading 40-0. The Australians quickly bring it back to deuce, they fight back and hold serve. Australia 4 2 Switzerland 6 2
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Hingis on serve, Gavrilova and Stosur streaking away in this game now. They get away to a 40-0 lead before Bacsinszky keeps the Swiss in it. They hold serve and Australia are down 6-4, 2-1 Australia 4 1 Switzerland 6 2
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stosur on serve, our girls are really being pushed by Hingis and Bacsinszky. Its hard to see them going through to the second round. Gavrilova manages to hold on for Australia and win the set. Australia 4 1 Switzerland 6 1
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Bacsinszky on serve, brilliant work on first serve by the Swiss. They hold serve and look to be running away with this. Australia 4 0 Switzerland 6 1
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
END FIRST SET Aces: Double Faults: 1 - 0 1st Serve: 35/46 (76%) - 25/31 (81%) 2nd Serve: 21/35 (60%) - 14/25 (56%) Receiving Points Won: 13/31 (42%) - 22/46 (48%) Break Point Conversions: 1/2 (50%) - 2/8 (25%) Total Winners: 4 - 5 Forced Errors: 3 - 7 Unforced Errors: 1 - 0 Total Points Won: 37 - 40 Australia 4 Switzerland 6
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stosur on serve, some brilliant work by the Aussies as they get off to an early 30-0 lead. Hingis and Bacsinszky hunt them down. Good ground work by both teams brings us to deuce, the Swiss have set point but Gavrilova is quick to stop it. Bacsinszky and Hingis are too strong in the end and take the first set. Australia 4 Switzerland 6
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Bacsinszky on serve, the Swiss hold serve. Just one game away now from taking the first set. Australia 4 Switzerland 5