Olympic gold in men’s singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics is all coming down to Andy Murray vs. Juan Martin Del Potro on Sunday. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori will be squaring off for the final spot on the podium.
Juan Martin Del Potro vs. (2) Andy Murray
Murray and Del Potro will be facing each other for the eighth time in their careers when the collide in the gold-medal match at the Rio Olympics on Sunday. The head-to-head series stands at 5-2 in favor of Murray, who has four of their five previous hard-court encounters. But they have not met since 2013, when Del Potro prevailed 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1 in the Indian Wells quarterfinals. The 27-year-old Argentine has missed much of the last three seasons, which explains why he has not squared off against Murray–and other top players–in so long. It’s safe to say Del Potro’s latest comeback from wrist surgery has reached new heights in Rio, where his amazing run features defeats of Novak Djokovic, Joao Sousa, Taro Daniel, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Rafael Nadal.
The 2009 U.S. Open champion needed three sets against Sousa, Daniel, and Nadal, two tiebreakers against Djokovic, and one ‘breaker against Bautista Agut. Murray’s trek through the draw has come with less fanfare, but it certainly has not been easy. The second-ranked Scot trailed Fabio Fognini 3-0 in the third set during third-round action and one day later trailed Steve Johnson by a break at 4-3 in the decider. Murray also defeated Viktor Troicki and Juan Monaco, and he is coming off a 6-1, 6-4 beatdown of Kei Nishikori. Not only is the second seed more rested than Del Potro, but he can also rely on the experience of having played for–and won–a gold medal in singles (at the 2012 London Olympics).
Pick: Murray in 3
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(3) Rafael Nadal vs. (4) Kei Nishikori
Nadal finally lost in Rio de Janeiro. Despite having missed more than two months of this summer because of a wrist injury that knocked him out of the French Open, the Spaniard captured doubles gold with Marc Lopez and reached the semifinals in singles. But Nadal put his 9-0 overall record to the test on Saturday afternoon and lost a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5) thriller to Del Potro. He is still battling for a medal, however, thanks to victories over Federico Delbonis, Andreas Seppi, and Gilles Simon, and Thomaz Bellucci that carried him into the semifinals.
Up next for the third seed is an 11th career showdown against Nishikori, who is a horrendous 1-9 in the head-to-head series. Nadal has won two in a row at Nishikori’s expense this season since falling to the Japanese star right around this time last year at the Rogers Cup. Like the other three remaining participants in this event, Nishikori has flirted with disaster at times. He trailed Gael Monfils 6-3 in the final-set tiebreaker on Friday before winning the last five points of the match to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The world No. 7 preceded that result by getting the best of Albert Ramos-Vinolas, John Millman, and Andrej Martin. Nishikori looked like he was on his last legs during a disappointing performance against Murray in the semis, and he will need a resurgence in energy even against a presumably fatigued Nadal.
Pick: Nadal in 3
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Can not see the match but am following the live score. Rafa decided not to let Nishi win the medal easily..,
What is this guy made of??? I went out to grab food and it was 5-2 …it is 5-5 now!!
What’s going on?
another fist pump from Rafa! 6-5!
headed for a tb, I think
Gosh, I hate tie breaks! ?
It is literally over-my-dead-body attitude from Rafa! He is fighting and he can win this TB!
There is no coverage here. So I can’t see the match!
What is going on?
hahaha fortune favours the brave! that’s in! replay the point 😀
It sounds like Rafa is tired but still fighting!
Any accurate updates on the score? 🙂
http://rio.tennis-live-scores.com/
NBC making me watch USA mixed doubles. No coverage on TV for Rafa v Kei. Nothing on Tennis Channel. Cincinnati washed out today — from what I can tell.
And I could care less which team wins — Venus/Ram or Sock/BMS. Maybe a little more for BMS/Sock…
time for lunch. Rafa should get this win/medal.
rc,
Nice to see you back here! I am really frustrated with bravo channel showing the mixed doubles! Who cares!
I want to see Rafa’s match!
Hey Nny. Thanks. Nice to be back. Was on a vacation and it seems like forever since I last watched tennis! I went through withdrawal while away, lol…
Bravo sucks – so does NBC and TC.
come on Rafa pull out that win!
If that’s what you asked for because i’m not sure if i understood that correctly 🙂
Manwerty,
Yes! Thank you! So Rafa won the second set!
Rafa won the second set!!!
Here in Poland no tennis at all today in TV, hope at least Murray Delpo will be shown 🙂 So I’m just following the bronze medal match here http://rio.tennis-live-scores.com/. It’s not like watching it with video but it kinda shows how the match goes 🙂
6-1 to Rafa in the TB!! The crowd is supporting him biggg time!
AND RAFAEL NADAL seals the tie break with a wonderful swinging serve which his opponent couldn’t return.
Wow, just WOW! 1 hr 16 mins for this set!
I learnt a lesson today: Never count this man out!! NEVER! Even I thought it is curtains after he fell 5-2 (DOUBLE BREAK DOWN) and I went out to get food. I don’t know how we pulled it back to 5-5 but he was solid as a rock in the tie break and also saved a break point at 5-5!
The Olympic spirit is still alive! He deserves a medal! Please!!
vr,
Can you see the match? Because it’s not being shown in the states!
RC and I are very frustrated! I wanted to see Rafa!
It sounds like he had another comeback in that tb! God bless him!
yup! I am seeing it but I missed it from 5-2 to 5-5 … where he he got 2 breaks back
Wow! Beautiful tb from Rafa winning 7:1!
Third set it is!
Vamos Champ! Your heart is bigger than life!
http://www.usagoals.me/tennis/1640536/2/tennis-mens-singles-bronze-medal-nadal-v-nishikori-live-stream-online.html
Livestreaming link
I can’t get the link. It says you have to set up an account.
I tried downloading the nbc app and it won’t let me see the match!
This is driving me crazy! There are going to be a lot of unhappy Rafa fans in the states!
NNY, don’t think you need an account. Open it again, there is a countdown to closing adverts…let that countdown finish and then the screen will appear.
http://www.stream2watch.co/live-now/sport-stream/olympic-games/tennis-olympic-games-rio-2016-live-stream-august-13
Alternate link
hahahaha what was Rafa doing with his arms? LOL he was literally dancing/parading to the chanting of ‘Raaafaa *clap clap* Raafaaa *clap clap* ‘
Rafa is not happy that Nishi is taking that much time! Nishi is off the court
Rafa is upset now! Kei returns and is welcomed by boo-ing from the crowd