Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus ended a strong week at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday by defeating Americans Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren 7-6(3), 6-2 to capture a historic first Olympic tennis medal for New Zealand.
Daniell and Venus, who also teamed at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, saved all three break points they faced to claim the bronze medal. They won 75 per cent (33/44) of their first-service points to record victory in one hour and 49 minutes.
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"They weren't my first tears of the Olympics, if I'm being honest...It just means so much," Daniell told ITFtennis.com. "It always means more when you've got the silver fern on your chest and you're performing for your country in something so much bigger than yourself. You feel that fire and the group energy of New Zealand and the spirit of New Zealand.
"I can't describe how much that means. To be able to come to the Olympics and come away with a bronze and do it for New Zealand… it's just very surreal.
"We've made a little bit of history today and I really hope it's inspiring to the younger generation in New Zealand and gets people to pick up some tennis raquets.”
Venus has won two tour-level titles this year at the Hamburg European Open (w/Puetz) and the Gonet Geneva Open (w/Peers), while Daniell enjoyed a run to the final at The Qatar ExxonMobil Open (w/Oswald) in March.
Krajicek and Sandgren were making their Olympic debuts this week and were teaming for the fifth time this year.
Daniell and Venus, who also teamed at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, saved all three break points they faced to claim the bronze medal. They won 75 per cent (33/44) of their first-service points to record victory in one hour and 49 minutes.
View Order Of Play | View 2020 Olympics Results
"They weren't my first tears of the Olympics, if I'm being honest...It just means so much," Daniell told ITFtennis.com. "It always means more when you've got the silver fern on your chest and you're performing for your country in something so much bigger than yourself. You feel that fire and the group energy of New Zealand and the spirit of New Zealand.
"I can't describe how much that means. To be able to come to the Olympics and come away with a bronze and do it for New Zealand… it's just very surreal.
"We've made a little bit of history today and I really hope it's inspiring to the younger generation in New Zealand and gets people to pick up some tennis raquets.”
Venus has won two tour-level titles this year at the Hamburg European Open (w/Puetz) and the Gonet Geneva Open (w/Peers), while Daniell enjoyed a run to the final at The Qatar ExxonMobil Open (w/Oswald) in March.
Krajicek and Sandgren were making their Olympic debuts this week and were teaming for the fifth time this year.