WASHINGTON, July 22, 2021 (by Michael Dickens)
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games tennis draws are out. Let the prognosticating begin!
With the release of the men’s and women’s singles and doubles draws on Thursday, the quest for Olympic glory begins Saturday.
Men’s top seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia will open with a first-round match against Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien, ranked 139th, while women’s No. 1 Ashleigh Barty of Australia will face No. 48 Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain.
The golden path to glory…#Tokyo2020 | #Tennis pic.twitter.com/XQyLTToW5p
— ITF (@ITFTennis) July 22, 2021
Japan’s second-seeded Naomi Osaka, in her first appearance in two months, will play No. 52 Zhang Saisai of China, while men’s second seed Daniil Medvedev will open against No. 40 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.
The ladies looking for gold… 👀
What do you make of these routes to the final?#Tokyo2020 #Tennis pic.twitter.com/chNm1lkGNe
— ITF (@ITFTennis) July 22, 2021
Meanwhile, reigning Olympic men’s singles champion Andy Murray of Great Britain, ranked 104th, will begin his bid to win an unprecedented third straight Olympic gold medal when he takes on Canada’s 15th-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Fancy seeing you here 🤗
Game greats @DjokerNole and @andy_murray at it again 🎾#Tokyo2020 #Tennis pic.twitter.com/gnOvqDi08p
— ITF (@ITFTennis) July 22, 2021
Among some of the “popcorn” first-round matches, Rio 2016 bronze medalist Kei Nishikori of Japan faces fifth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia, Wimbledon finalist Hubert Hurkacz of Poland takes on Marton Fucsovics of Hungary and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia opposes Spain’s Carla Suárez Navarro, in her farewell Olympics.
Fireworks from the get-go 🎆
Which women’s singles R1 match catches your eye?#Tokyo2020 | #Tennis pic.twitter.com/gzqhf1ryEj
— ITF (@ITFTennis) July 22, 2021
Men’s doubles top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic of Croatia will open against Brazil’s Marcelo Melo and Marcelo Demoliner. Women’s doubles top seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova from the Czech Republic will oppose Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-Chieh and Hsu Chieh-Yu.
Feast your eyes 🙌
Full Day 1️⃣ schedule 👉https://t.co/7mE6Qis9G2#Tokyo2020 | #Tennis pic.twitter.com/2ovEy7CPpp
— ITF (@ITFTennis) July 22, 2021
The first-round ties were unveiled two days before players will open play Saturday at Ariake Tennis Park at 11 a.m. Tokyo time (4 a.m. Central European, 3 a.m. London, 10 p.m. <Fri.> New York).
Tokyo Olympics men’s singles draw pic.twitter.com/L5L7WwAuSl
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) July 22, 2021
Tokyo Olympics women’s singles draw pic.twitter.com/4rVaypeVid
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) July 22, 2021
Tokyo Olympics men’s doubles draw pic.twitter.com/qgRtEKep1D
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) July 22, 2021
Tokyo Olympics women’s doubles draw pic.twitter.com/VBb1GWsTTT
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) July 22, 2021
