The Bryan brothers’ retirement diminished the sport of tennis doubles in the eyes of the general public. If only they’d been paying attention the whole time.
The Bryan brothers have won two Olympic medals between them, in men’s doubles competition: a bronze in 2008 and a gold in 2012.
A. Krajicek Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren tried their best to keep men’s doubles in the spotlight in the United States at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The American combination reached the Olympic bronze medal match, but they were beaten by the New Zealand duo of Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus 7-6, 6-2 as thunder rolled and lightning flashed outside Tokyo’s Ariake Tennis Park.
According to Krajicek, “there’s no easy way around that match, losing that is extremely upsetting.” The worst case scenario is as bad as it gets. Still, such is life in the sporting world. Because everyone else does, so must we.
It was the United States’ last chance to win a tennis medal at the 2020 Olympics. Krajicek and Sandgren’s Olympic debut will be marked with a disappointing fourth-place result.
American Strength and New Zealand Dexterity met in a Thrilling first set.
There were no service breaks in the opening set, leading to a tiebreaker that Krajicek/Sandgren ultimately lost (3-7).
The New Zealanders took an early lead in the second set because to their superior net play.
Daniell and Venus attacked the net, hitting cunning angles and drop shots as Krajicek and Sandgren hung back on defence on the baseline.
The Americans battled back despite being outnumbered 3-1. Their effort in the second set was not reflected in the final score (6-2).
Sandgren did not hold back, saying, “We had enough chances, enough looks, enough opportunities.” You must act now. It’s game over if you can’t carry out your plans. Whoever gets the job done first is the victor. “Those that don’t will finish last.
Sandgren was Similarly Disheartened by the Sparse Crowd.
He even went as far as to say that “fans would have made it a terrific occasion.” One commentator said, “You might as well be playing in the middle of nowhere in Idaho if you’re playing on an outdoor court without fans.”
Even though they ultimately lost, the American doubles team had a fantastic Olympic tournament.
Krajicek and Sandgren defeated Alexander Zverev (now ranked fifth in the world in men’s singles) and Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany 6-3, 7-6 in the quarterfinals to go to the bronze medal match (4).
At press time, Zverev and No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic were still in the midst of their men’s singles semi-final battle. It is Djokovic’s goal to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic gold medal in the same year (a “Golden Slam”).
Krajicek and Sandgren had taken on the Number one Combination in the World,
Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic of Croatia, in the men’s doubles semifinal. The 2020 Olympic gold medal match was played later Friday evening between the year-long dominators Mektic and Pavic, who had only dropped one set throughout the entire tournament prior to the medal round.
Krajicek, 31 years old and originally from Brandon, Florida, and Sandgren, 30 years old and originally from Gallatin, Tennessee, were respectively rated 48th and 208th in the world prior to their quarterfinal match.
After competing on the tennis team at Texas A&M, Krajicek decided to pursue a career in professional tennis in 2012. When playing doubles, he and Sandgren advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2018 U.S. Open.
Sandgren spent two years on the tennis team at the University of Tennessee before making the transition to the professional circuit in 2011.
The Australian Open quarterfinals in 2018 and 2020 were both reached by him as a singles player. He was given the name Tennys not because of his interest in tennis, but rather in honour of his great-great-grandfather.
Krajicek and Sandgren, who have been friends for a long time, played in both Wimbledon and the French Open this year, but both of them were eliminated in the first and second rounds, respectively.
Krajicek Emphasised the Significance of good Chemistry Amongst team Members.
Both guys plan to compete in the 2021 U.S. Open, though it is uncertain whether or not they will once again join forces in doubles competition.
Krajicek and Sandgren both said it was a privilege to play with the USA flag on their backs, despite leaving Tokyo without a medal.
Sandgren, holding back tears, remarked, “Having the opportunity to represent our country means the world to us.” This is a fantastic opportunity, and I appreciate it very much.
For Krajicek, “the most thrilling part of this is representing your country,” echoing Tennys’s earlier comments. It’s a great honour, and we don’t get the chance to do that very frequently.
We tried our hardest but ultimately failed.