Ash Barty and John Peers have won Australia’s first tennis medal since 2004, claiming the bronze medal in mixed doubles after Novak Djokovic withdrew from the contest with injury.
Djokovic was required to back up from a three-set loss in the men’s singles bronze playoff to Pablo Carreno Busta but cited a shoulder injury as his reason for not teaming up with world No. 92 Nina Stojanovic.
“We thought they were joking at first,” said Peers. “There was a bit of disbelief but we can relax and enjoy it.”
“It’s what you dream of as a child, being part of the Olympics Games, and we didn’t want to come to make up the numbers. We came here to win a medal for our country and I know it’s been a long time since the tennis team has won a medal,” said Barty
“We’re rapt we’ll enjoy tonight and tomorrow and soak it all in.”
Bronze to ????????
Pablo Carreno Busta ousts world No.1 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3. #Tokyo2020 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/4zJAALHN7v
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) July 31, 2021
Djokovic was an unexpected entrant into the mixed doubles, and we can only wonder what his partner made of Saturday’s deicison.
Viktor Troicki, Olympic team coach and David Cup captain for Serbia, had told The Associated Press it was a complete surprise to see that the 20-time Slam champion decided to compete in the mixed doubles tournament.
“I was against it,” Troicki told the Associated Press. “The whole team was against it.
“I thought he had enough of tennis the last months. Really, he played so much.”
“Everyone was thinking about the singles,” Troicki continued on the decision from Djokovic.
“When he said he wanted to play mixed, I was like, ‘OK, [if] it means that much to him and he wants to prove that he’s ready and in the mixed matches he’s giving everything, he’s 100% focused on going all the way, then OK.’
It was meant to be the first meeting between the men’s and women’s world number ones in a mixed doubles match since the 2003 Hopman Cup, when Serena Williams’ USA defeated Lleyton Hewitt’s Australia.
The default win gave Australia a first Olympic medal in tennis since Athens 2004.
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