MALLORCA/PARIS, May 30, 2016
Martina Hingis and Roger Federer representing Switzerland as well as Garbine Muguruza and Rafael Nadal representing Spain will team-up at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Toni Nadal, however, stated that the Swiss combination will be the favourites for the Gold medal.
“Martina is number one in the WTA doubles rankings and Roger is also very strong in this kind of competition. But who knows, maybe Garbine and Rafa are able to create an upset,” told the tournament representative of the WTA Mallorca Open, which is going to take place from 11 to 19 June 2016 at the newly built Santa Ponsa Tennis Club.
Muguruza will be the top-seed of the inaugural edition. Currently, the 22-year-old Spaniard is competing at the French Open awaiting US-American Shelby Rogers in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
“I am really looking forward to the Olympics as well as playing mixed-doubles with Rafa will be very exciting,” she told with a smile. In 2008 in Beijing, Nadal won the Gold medal in the singles competition, Federer in doubles with Stan Wawrinka.
“Competing at the Olympic Games is complety different to any other event,” told Nadal in Paris. “The Olympics is the most important event in the world of sports. It was very tough for me to lose the 2012 Olympics due to an injury. It is something, which does not take place every year. You are able to compete maybe only once, twice or three times in your career. So you do not want to miss that.”
By the way, the defending champions in the mixed-doubles competition are Viktoria Azarenka and Max Mirny, who emerged victorious in London 2012.