By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
“We are winning gold for….the ROC,” said Russian Andrey Rublev, laughing, after winning the Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles alongside Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, referencing the “ROC” moniker that Russia is playing under at the Tokyo Olympics due to past doping violations by Russia.
While Rublev was discussing his mixed doubles gold, he could also be referencing the “Team Gold” medal when by ‘The ROC” or the Russian Olympic Committee.
“What? Team Gold?” you may wonder. Many have discussed that there should be a team element to the Olympic tennis event. Taking a page out of how the NCAA team championship used to be determined – awarding one point per match victory in the individual singles and doubles championships – and implementing it with the singles, dobules and mixed events at the Olympics, and the ROC would be the team champions.
Buoyed by the “All-ROC” mixed doubles final with Rublev and Pavlyuchenkova, beating Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev, Karen Khachanov’s silver medal showing in men’s singles and Vesnina and xxx finishing fourth in women’s doubles, ROC won 24 matches in Tokyo – earning 24 points.
Finishing second – earning the mythical silver medal – was Spain with 18 match wins, led by Pablo Carreno Busta’s incredible bronze medal showing in men’s singles, highlighted by wins over the world No. 1 and No. 2 players (Novak Djokovic in the bronze medal match and Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals, respectively.)
The bronze medal in the mythical Olympic tennis team competition was won by the Czech Republic with 17 match wins, led by women’s doubles gold medalists Barbora Kreicikova and Katarina Siniakova.
Germany, led by men’s singles gold medalist Alexander Zverev, finished fourth with 14 points.
Who won the mythical team gold in previous Olympic Games? Read my previous posts, linked here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/13299
To read more about the history of tennis in the Olympic Games, get my book “The Olympic Tennis Fact Book” here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DC1ZBDD/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_QA3WEAY0ABJF11Y0VJD7 via Amazon
