Olympic Gold for Puerto Rico Monica Puig: First Gold Medal for Puerto Rico!

Monica Puig wins the First Gold Medal Ever for Puerto Rico! 

Monica said:

"I"m speechless," a smiling Puig said after her historic win. "I wanted it so bad."

"I never imagined in my wildest dreams that this would happen," Puig added — "her experience in Rio de Janeiro has been like a dream. She's looking forward to waking up tomorrow morning and seeing her gold medal sitting on her bedside table." Pretty heady stuff for someone and a country new to this sort of thing!

As for her plans after the Olympics, Puig said, "I know my life is going to change a bit." But she said some things won't — because, she added, "I love what I do."

Puig won in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Olympic Tennis Center, with her more dramatic points leading fans to shout "Si se puede" and wave the flag of Puerto Rico. More than once, the chair umpire went from requesting silence to simply shushing the audience.




Puerto Rico has had athletes in the Olympics since 1948; before today, Team Puerto Rico had amassed eight Olympic medals — none of them gold. Final Score was close in the first 2 sets, 6-4, 4-6, and Monica blew it out in the last set 6-1 to win the gold. This is pretty amazing stuff for the Number 34 playing Angelique Kerber (Silver) the No. 2. Petra Kvitová (14) of the Czech Republic won the Bronze.  Again the weather was a factor for all the participants in this 2016 Summer Olympics in  Rio de Janeiro.  Following another great tennis player from Puerto Rican who played and was a citizen of the United States who also earned two Gold medals named Gigi Fernandez in 1992 and 1996. Gigi was Number 1 in the World in 1991. She visited this No. 1 on the WTA (Woman's Tennis Association) rankings spot til 1995. Now its Monica Puig's Turn. Lets keep it going.  Go Monica!

On the Mens Side: In Doubles, Gold medal match Gold Spain M. López and R. Nadal Silver Romania F. Mergea and H. Tecău 1 Bronze medal match was won by United States J. Sock and S. Johnson.

In Men's Singles Today Sunday August 14th, 2016 The Gold medal match 2:00 PM Juan Martín del Potro from Argentina vs. Andy Murray Great Britain. The Bronze medal match Today At 12:30 PM today Rafael Nadal Spain vs. Kei Nishikori Japan. Good Luck Gentleman. 

Thanks for reading Folks. Great tennis in 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Going for Tennis Gold - A Puerto Rican Journey

Every Olympic Hopeful wants to win the Gold. On Day 7, Yesterday, Aug. 12, 2016 Monica Puig of Puerto Rico, leaps in the air after defeating Petra Kvitova, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final round match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Monica said, "This Olympics isn't about me," the 34th-ranked Puig said. "It's about Puerto Rico, and I know how bad they want this."

Monica Puig will definately get a Silver but she has a definate chance at the Gold! Amazing for a little country like Puerto Rico. Most Americans are fans of Puerto Rico for different reasons. I myself am friends with a native and she is really excited by the prospect of their first Gold Medal. In their history at the Games they have won 9 medals and only two Silver Medals, One in Boxing (1984), and another in Wrestling in (2012). They have never earned a Gold medal! It is a great achievement for this Country of only 3.5 Million Inhabitants.

Monica will Play Angelique Kerber of Germany. Their record: Kerber leads Puig, 2-0 in their head-to-head with wins in Brisbane (3-6 6-4 7-6(7), 2013) and Toronto (6-2 6-3, 2015) in recent history but Puig is playing with real enthusiasm, and a sense of fearlessness. I applaud her and Angelique in this Womans Final!

 

On the Mens' Side, Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez of Spain won the Olympic men’s doubles tennis title, beating Romania’s Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau to secure their country’s third gold medal of the Rio Games.

Andy Murray played Kei Nishikori .The Scot, 29, won 6-1 6-4 against Nishikori in the semifinal. Good match but the athletes in all the events have had a real battle with the heat and humidity. The reason most players come and go to South Florida to train in tennis. If they can play here they can play anywhere.  On the other side Rafa is playing Juan Martin Del Portro. They are playing for the semi's at the same time the Women are playing for Gold!

The Woman's Doubles, Both Czech Teams,  are playing right now for the Bronze. and the winner of this match will meet The Swiss Miss Martina Hingis and her Swiss partner for the Gold. Switzerland T. Bacsinszky and M. Hingis  beat. Czech Republic L. Hradecká and A. Hlaváčková  2-1. A lot of Czech in the Womans Doubles. Exciting to know Switzerland has overcome one advance of the Czech invasion. 

Enjoy the Olympics and Keep your "Off" at the Ready. Thanks for reading....Coach Sherwin Anderson