Tennis News You Can Use
Last weekend, this site detailed the selection criteria for players from the United States to qualify to play in the Olympics. The information included the direct acceptance criteria imposed by the International Olympic Committee. The factors that the USTA uses to nominate additional players was also described. The first post speculated on the players who would be named to the women’s team and a follow up focused on the men. As expected, the roster for Team USA was announced last week. There were some big surprises primarily involving players who declined to participate in the Olympic Games this year.
The four US women’s singles players will be Jennifer Brady, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Alison Riske. As somewhat expected Serena Williams announced that she would not be playing during a pre-Wimbledon press conference last week. It was more of a surprise that the top ranked American, Sofia Kenin, also turned down the opportunity. As recently as February, Kenin was on record with her intent to participate. She ultimately decided against it since she couldn’t take anybody with her. That, combined with Madison Keys also opting out, opened the last spot for Alison Riske.
As expected, Nicole Melichar and Bethany Mattek-Sands were named as the women’s doubles players. The women’s doubles pairings were announced as Melichar/Gauff and Mattek-Sands/Pegula.
Reilly Opelka and John Isner declined participation in the Olympics earlier this year. In the interim Taylor Fritz and Sebastian Korda also decided not to play. Fritz had surgery on his knee between the French Open and Wimbledon, so in retrospect his decision wasn’t really a surprise.
Korda’s decision to opt out is puzzling since his two sisters Nelly and Jessica will be representing the US on the Olympic golf team. His decision to skip the event is intended to to allow him to focus on smaller stateside tournaments leading into the US Open. Earlier in the year, Korda skipped the Australian Open opting to compete in Challenger-level tournaments in Europe instead. Had he competed it would have been the first time siblings competed in the same Olympics in two different sports.
With many of the top ranked male players opting out of the Olympics both for the United States and internationally, the United States managed to get four singles players into the Olympic singles draw. The only US man who qualified through direct acceptance was Tommy Paul. He will be joined by Frances Tiafoe, Tennys Sandgren, and Marcos Giron.
As expected, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek are the men’s doubles picks. The announced doubles pairings are Ram/Tiafoe and Krajicek/Sandgren. While Ram and Krajicek would be the strongest team on paper it may have been necessary to split them in order to get a second doubles team into the draw per Olympic doubles selection criteria.
The announcement of the mixed pairings will be made on a future date. Ram and Melichar have been playing tournaments together and would be considered serious medal contenders. I still like a potential pairing of Mattek-Sands/Krajicek for the other mixed team. It would also be fun to see her play with Sandgren.
The tennis competition begins July 24 in Tokyo.
- Coco Gauff headlines U.S. Olympic Tennis Team, Torrey Hart, NBC Olympics, 1 July 2021.
- American Sofia Kenin will not compete at Tokyo Olympics, Kathleen Mcnamee, ESPN.com, 30 June 2021.
- Less than a month after surgery, Fritz winning at Wimbledon, Howard Fendrich, Washington Post, 1 July 2021
- With an Early Win, Korda Advances His Father’s ‘Half-Crazy’ Plan, Ben Rothenberg, New York Times, June 29, 2021.
