The Olympics in Tokyo: Barty, Osaka have early exits

Kei Nishikori


In Tokyo, at the Olympic Games, many of the top women have lost, including Ash Barty and Olympic flame lighter Naomi Osaka.

With Osaka in the Olympic spotlight, it took a streaky Marketa Vondrousova to knock her out 6-1 6-2.

Wimbledon champ and No. 1 Ash Barty was quickly bounced by Sara Sorribes Torma of Spain in the first round. Definitely, a shock.

There are some players looked banged up. Garbine Muguruza is very strong, beating Alison van Uytvanck. When she is on, she can win this tournament hands down. But not this year.

Elina Svitolina also really wants to win, making up for her disappointing performances at the Slams. However, she can smash the ball. Marketa Vondrousova is slightly better, but she has to be more precise.

Kei Nishikori knocked down No. 7 Andrey Rublev. Nishikori is up and down, but he really likes playing in Tokyo. He can go much further. He is very thoughtful and can be a top player when he is very healthy, which is rare.

Daniil Medvedev continues to grow, even in the fifth set, when he is 38-18. Perhaps he is on the way, not only in Tokyo, but maybe at the US Open? The No. 2 has to charge at the net and put the ball away.

Novak Djokovic has won three Slams this year, and if he wins Tokyo and the US Open, then he might be the best player of all time. I mean that.

At the doubles, Andy Murray and Liam Broady are rocking and rolling. Out of nowhere, they emerged. But Croats Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig got them out in the quarterfinals. Kiki Bertens’ just retired, winning 10 WTA singles titles. At WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, she beat Simona Halep in the final. She also won the 2019 Madrid, defeating Petra Kvitova, Sloane Stephens and Halep. That was wonderful. She was very good overall, but she was never spectacular at the Slams. Good enough, though.

Who will play the Olympics? Not enough

Sofia Kenin

Will play: Djokovic, Zverev, Berrettini, Barty, Osaka and Kenin. 

Won’t play: Nadal, Thiem, Federer, Kerber, Azarenka and Serena


Who doesn’t like to watch the Olympics? Many of us do on TV, not only tennis, but gymnastics, swimming, basketball, soccer, or track and field. It will start next week at the 2021 Tokyo, and it should be a blast to watch, but there will be no fans. That could be bizarre. 

On July 16,  23 of the ATP top 50, will not play in Tokyo, including  Nadal, Thiem, Federer, Shapovalov, Raonic, Evans, Opelka, Isner, Fritz, Kerber, Azarenka, Serena, Halep, Kenin, Andreescu and Konta.  

Novak Djokovic is in, which is terrific, as the Serbian has won three Grand Slams this year. He was victorious at Wimbledon and now he has 20  Grand Slams, like Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.  At the US Open, Djokovic has a big chance to win it all four. Assuming they will be healthy, the Big Three could have some fascinating matches, long ones, some tough ones. In the second week, they will begin to bash the ball. They were confident, and ready to go even further. 

Which ones? It is early, six weeks away, so we don’t know who is playing healthy and excellent on the court. I won’t guess, but today, here are more players who will reach the second week with Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini, Denis Shapovalov, Sebastian Korda, Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep, Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu and Iga Swiatek.

In Newport, this week, Jack Sock won a singles match and then he lost against Kevin Anderson. The American went way down, in singles, and in 2017, he was a career-high No. 8. And in doubles, in 2018 that was another positive signs, his a career-high No. 2. So when he is healthy, and in good shape, he can gradually go up the ladder, but very slowly. He is ranked No. 231, which is way out there, but this season, he played a lot, especially on the USTA Pro Circuit. Clearly, he really wants to try. Good luck.

Wimbledon finalist Anderson got hurt two years ago, and now, he is close to reach the top 100 again. Yes, the 35-year-old may not reach a Slams final again as he did at the ’17 US Open and ’18 Wimbledon, but the tall man hits his huge serves and forehands. Remember, in 2018, he was ranked No. 5. He was darn good. When you watch him at a match, he can be so respectable, or more so. He does believe that in the next year, he will reach the top 20. But beyond that, he will have to prove it. That is life.

By the way, Sock will play Atlanta next week. Also, his friend, Nick Kyrgios, will also play, singles and doubles. 

Clash of Titans in Olympic finals

It was difficult to say just how much emotion the greats would show if they made it to the medal rounds of the Olympic Games given that the Slams still hold more weight to most players, but on Friday at Wimbledon, all four winners appeared to be truly jazzed after claiming victory.

Maria Sharapova thumped fellow Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-3 and smiled as wide as she ever has; Serena Williams focused hard and played as well as she has all year in crushing the so-called No. 1 Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-2; Roger Federer nearly wept tears of joy and seemed to be in another world after he outlasted Juan Martin del Potro 3-6, 7-6(5) 19-17; and Andy Murray thrilled himself and the home crowd in taking out a man, Novak Djokovic, who had shattered his hopes in Australia with a hearty 7-5, 7-5 victory.

While Sharapova and Murray have a lot to celebrate this week, both have huge tasks ahead of them in the finals. Sharapova hasn’t beaten Serena since 2004 and Murray just went down to Federer in the Wimbledon final. The men