Bencic first Swiss to win Olympic title
Angry Djokovic leaves Tokyo empty-handed after he loses to Carreno Busta
Belinda Bencic became the first Swiss woman to win the Olympic singles title yesterday with a battling victory over Czech Marketa Vondrousova, after an angry Novak Djokovic lost his cool and missed out on a medal.
The 24-year-old Bencic edged out Vondrousova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 on her second match point to complete the first leg of a possible golden double.
Bencic will also play in Sunday’s women’s doubles final alongside Viktorija Golubic against Czechs Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova. “I gave it my best, I gave it my all and I’m really proud now,” said the ninth seed, who shed tears of joy on the podium. “It’s a magnificent moment.”
Bencic is looking to become the fourth player to win singles and doubles golds at a single Olympics, after Serena and Venus Williams and Chilean Nicolas Massu.
The world No 12 is also the first Swiss to win the Olympic singles since Marc Rosset’s shock triumph in 1992.
“They did so much in their careers which I could probably never do. So this one is for Martina and for Roger,” said Bencic.
Djokovic loses
Djokovic hurled his racquet into the empty stands and smashed another on a net post as he lost to Pablo Carreno Busta in the men’s bronze medal match.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion was beaten 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 as Carreno Busta won on his sixth match point.
Djokovic then pulled out of his mixed doubles thirdplace playoff alongside Nina Stojanovic with a left shoulder injury, giving Australians Ashleigh Barty and John Peers the bronze.
He threw his racquet high into the empty stands as he saw a break point come and go in the opening game of the third set, and continued to cut an angry figure, destroying another racquet by smashing it against a net post. “I don’t like doing these things,” said Djokovic. “I’m sorry for sending this kind of message.”
Carreno Busta was understandably delighted with his shock win.
“I’ve never had an opportunity to win something like this and it’s been great, absolutely great,” said the Spaniard.
Elsewhere, Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani won Brazil’s first Olympic medal in tennis with a surprising victory in the women’s doubles bronze medal match over Russians Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina, winning 4-6, 6-4, 11-9 after saving four match points.