Daniell and Venus hand New Zealand surprise shot at tennis medal
Emotions were high for Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus on Wednesday after the New Zealand pair's upset-win over third seeds Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal saw them progress to the medal matches at Tokyo 2020.
In defeating the Colombians 6-3 3-6 10-7 to reach the men’s doubles semi-finals, the duo gave themselves an opportunity to win a first Olympic tennis medal for their nation in 109 years - an achievement that has hit them both hard.
“I don’t think I can put it into words,” said Daniell, 31, the doubles world No. 50. “I had a wee cry at the end of the match today and I think that sort of tells you how much it means.”
Venus, the elder, higher-ranked of the pair at No. 20 in the world, is also the more experienced when it comes to big moments on a tennis court having won Roland Garros with Ryan Harrison in 2017. But the 33-year-old Auckland native admits their journey through the draw in Tokyo is much more than simply a trip into uncharted territory.
“It’s really special,” he said. “Marcus and I, we grew up watching the Olympics. New Zealand has a proud history and really gets behind their Olympians. To be here and be part of the team is special, but now to actually have a chance at going home with a medal… that’s something we’ve only dreamed about.”
Tony Wilding, from Christchurch (but representing Australasia), was the last New Zealander to win a tennis medal at an Olympic Games, taking singles bronze at Stockholm 1912 before he was sadly killed in World War I three years later.
Venus and Daniell could surpass Wilding’s historic bronze and take home a guaranteed silver if they bypass Croatian pair Ivan Dodig and Marin Cilic, who overcame two-time singles gold medallist Andy Murray and partner Joe Salisbury 4-6 7-6(2) 10-7.
Dodig and former US Open singles champion Cilic are a familiar and relatively successful doubles partnership, but Venus and Daniell aren't concerning themselves with the individuals on the other side of the net.
“It’s going to be a tough match like all the matches here, but we can’t worry about who we’re playing on the other side,” said Venus. “We just have to focus on what we’re doing, come up with a game plan and go out there and try and execute to the best of our ability.”
Croatia are guaranteed at least one tennis medal - and could emerge with two - after top seeds Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic cruised into the last four of the men's doubles event following a 6-3 6-3 victory over home hopes Kei Nishikori and Ben McLachlan.
The pair will face American duo Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren, who accounted for Germans Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 7-6(4).