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