Olympic tennis draws announced for Rio 2016
Team Canada’s tennis players have learned who their first round opponents will be at Rio 2016.
In men’s singles, Vasek Pospisil will open his second Olympic Games with a match against sixth seeded Gael Monfils of France. The two met just last week in Toronto where Monfils edged the Canadian 7-6 (6), 6-0.
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Vasek Pospisil and Gael Monfils shake hands after their match on July 27, 2016 at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. (Thomas Skrlj/COC)
Pospisil will also play doubles in Rio, teaming up with Olympic veteran Daniel Nestor. The duo, who reached the semifinals in Toronto, will take on New Zealand’s Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus in the opening round.
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Nestor, who will be participating in his sixth Olympic Games, is ranked ninth in the world in doubles while Pospisil is 17th. The two played doubles at London 2012 and are seeded seventh for Rio 2016.
On the women’s side, Eugenie Bouchard will play both singles and doubles in her Olympic debut in Rio. Bouchard’s first singles match will be against American Sloane Stephens. The four previous matches between the two have been split 2-2 with Bouchard winning the most recent earlier this year at Indian Wells, 7-5, 7-5.
Canadian tennis players Daniel Nestor, right, and Vasek Pospisil practice together prior to the start of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
COC Photo by Jason Ransom
Bouchard, ranked 39th in the world, is coming off a round of 16 appearance in Montreal. The 22-year-old also reached the round of 16 at Eastbourne and the round of 32 at Wimbledon this summer.
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Stephens, ranked 25th in the world, lost in the opening round in Montreal and Washington, DC. Like Bouchard, she reached the round of 32 of Wimbledon this year.
Bouchard will team up with Gaby Dabrowski for women’s doubles. The two will face Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Paula Kania of Poland in the opening round.
Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard practices prior to the start of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
COC Photo by Jason Ransom
Dabrowski, who will also be competing in her first Olympic Games, won doubles gold at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games with Carol Zhao.
The opening rounds of singles and doubles will be held on Saturday and Sunday at Rio’s Olympic Tennis Centre.
