Félix Auger-Aliassime and Gabriela Dabrowski will likely be bringing an Olympic medal again to Canada.
The Canadian combined doubles pair claimed the bronze medal on Friday on the 2024 Summer time Olympics in Paris, defeating the Dutch pair of Wesley Koolhof and Demi Schuurs in straight units. It’s simply the second Olympic tennis medal in Canadian historical past.
On prime of the victory being Canada’s first combined doubles medal on the Olympics, Dabrowski turns into the primary Canadian lady to win a tennis medal on the Video games. Canada’s solely different Olympic medal was a gold in males’s doubles, gained by Sebastien Lareau and Daniel Nestor on the 2000 Video games in Sydney.
Other than a spell halfway by way of the second set, the Canadian pair dominated the match, counting on Auger-Aliassime’s energy and Dabrowski’s craftiness to assert a 6-3, 7-6(2) win and land on the rostrum.
The margins had been razor skinny within the opening set, however the Canadians had been capable of seize on the one break level for both pair. At 2-1, Schuurs double faulted to present the Canadians a break level and Dabrowski transformed, utilizing a intelligent slice forehand to arrange a smash winner.
Learn additionally: Prime Tales to Watch on the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Montreal
Dabrowski confronted stress on her serve at 4-1, battling by way of a few deuces however managed to carry with out going through a break level. When it got here time to shut out the set at 5-3, Auger-Aliassime slammed the door with a maintain to like.
The whole lot was going the Canadians approach on the time as, within the first sport of the second set, they went forward love-40 on Koolhof’s serve and Dabrowski’s floating return took a nasty kick which the Dutchman couldn’t deal with, dumping a forehand into the online to give up the break.
Learn additionally: Prime Storylines to Watch on the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Toronto
When the Dutch pair gained some extent on their very own serve for 0-2, 15-all, it ended a 13-point streak for the Canadians courting again to the ultimate sport of the primary set. Nonetheless, they received a pair of break factors at 15-40 and Auger-Aliassime overpowered Schuurs together with his heavy forehand in a baseline alternate to make it a double break lead.
Nonetheless, they didn’t consolidate the second break. For the primary time within the match, the Canadians discovered themselves down break level on Dabrowski’s serve and Schuurs ripped a clear return winner to reclaim one.
Out of the blue, the momentum was firmly with the Dutch. Once more on Dabrowski’s serve at 4-3, a Koolhof return floated in to arrange a break level and he timed a poach completely to stage the set at 4-4.
Learn additionally: Canadians Gear Up for the Their Residence Masters
If the Canadians had been nervous at seeing their large lead slip away, they didn’t let it have an effect on their play when the stress hit its peak within the tiebreak. Auger-Aliassime asserted himself early within the breaker, utilizing some large hitting to assert a minibreak on the primary level after which successful each on his personal serve to place Canada forward 3-0.
That turned out to be greater than sufficient because the Dutch solely mustered two factors within the breaker. From 5-2, it was Dabrowski’s flip to take over, timing an assault off a return completely to arrange quadruple match level the place she whipped out a spectacular volley to seal the win for Canada.
Auger-Aliassime has an opportunity to come back dwelling with one other bronze medal as he’ll play within the third-place match in males’s singles on Saturday.
