Tokyo Olympics: Belinda Bencic goes for gold as Novak Djokovic cruises into semis | Tennis News

Belinda Bencic units up ladies’s singles remaining towards Marketa Vondrousova, whereas Novak Djokovic stays on track for males’s gold with victory over Kei Nishikori; Djokovic to face Alexander Zverev in semi-finals; Daniil Medvedev knocked out by Pablo Carreno Busta

An emotional Belinda Bencic reacts after reserving her place within the Olympic ladies’s singles remaining in Tokyo

Belinda Bencic may develop into the primary girl to clinch a singles tennis gold for Switzerland after she booked a spot within the Olympic remaining with a hard-won 7-6(2) 4-6 6-3 victory over Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina on Thursday.

Standing in entrance of her in Saturday’s title match will probably be Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who despatched out Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-3 6-1 in a one-sided contest.

Bencic was in tears after she closed out a nervy battle towards the Twentieth-ranked Rybakina, who squandered a number of leads throughout a topsy-turvy semi-final on Centre Courtroom.

The win will guarantee a tennis medal for Switzerland for the fourth Olympic Video games in a row, whereas Bencic may have an opportunity to be the primary participant to win a singles gold for the nation since Marc Rosset gained the lads’s Olympic remaining in 1992.

Marketa Vondrousova celebrates after defeating Elina Svitolina

“I imply my feelings proper now are too excessive. To have the medal, for me it is the best factor ever,” the 24-year-old advised reporters.

“To be right here as an athlete, for the Olympics, it is superb and in addition to have a medal, it is one thing I dreamt off and I did not suppose it can develop into actuality.”

The Swiss may additionally develop into simply the fifth participant to make the finals in each the singles and doubles tournaments since tennis’s return to the Olympics in 1988.

She and accomplice Viktorija Golubic will tackle Brazilian pair Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani in a ladies’s doubles semi-final in a while Thursday.

Djokovic marches on

Novak Djokovic could not be stopped as he progressed to the ultimate 4

On the lads’s aspect, 20-times main champion Novak Djokovic eased into the final 4 with a commanding efficiency over Japan’s Kei Nishikori however world quantity two Daniil Medvedev bowed out with a 6-2 7-6(5) loss to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.

Matches started at 3pm native time on Thursday, after organisers agreed to delay competitors following complaints from gamers in regards to the sizzling and humid situations on the Ariake Tennis Park.

High-ranked Djokovic was at his dominant greatest in his 6-2 6-0 win over Nishikori as he stayed on track to develop into the primary participant to win all 4 Grand Slams and Olympic gold in the identical 12 months since Steffi Graf in 1988.

“The matches will not be getting simpler however my stage of tennis is getting higher and higher,” mentioned the Serbian, whose win over Nishikori ended native hopes for a singles medal.

“I’ve completed that so many occasions in my profession. I do know that I am the type of participant that the additional the event goes, the higher I really feel on courtroom, and that is the case right here.

“Greatest efficiency of the event tonight towards a very good opponent.”

Djokovic will play Alexander Zverev for a spot in Sunday’s remaining after the German fourth seed beat Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-1.

Of their first assembly, Karen Khachanov edged Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 in a closely-fought match to e-book a spot within the males’s semi-finals towards Carreno Busta.

It dominated out an all-Russian semi-final and the Spaniard mentioned his match towards Medvedev was considered one of his greatest in his profession.

“Daniil is a extremely good participant, he is very strong from the baseline,” mentioned the world No 11. “I feel I returned very nicely on a regular basis. That is essential if you play towards these type of gamers.”

In males’s doubles, Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig secured an Olympic medal for Croatia by beating New Zealanders Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus 6-2 6-2 for a spot within the title match.