Daniell and Venus secure historic first tennis medal for New Zealand
Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus admitted to being "in disbelief" after delivering an historic first Olympic tennis medal for New Zealand.
The Kiwi pair overcame American duo Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren 7-6(3) 6-2 to secure men's doubles bronze and echo the achievements of Christchurch-born Tony Wilding, who won singles bronze under the flag of Australasia 109 years ago at Stockholm 1912.
"To follow in his footsteps, he was New Zealand's best ever tennis player and I think he won a few Wimbledons, is surreal," said Daniell. "It definitely hasn't sunk in yet. I'm a bit in disbelief and I think this is going to take some weeks to process, but I couldn't be happier."
An emotional Daniell descended in to tears after their triumph, while Venus displayed a grin as wide as his native Auckland - summing up the feelings both of their support team at the Ariake Tennis Park and their compatriots back home in the south-west Pacific.
"They weren't my first tears of the Olympics, if I'm being honest... it just means so much," admitted Daniell. "It always means more when you've got the silver fern on your chest and you're performing for your country in something so much bigger than yourself. You feel that fire and the group energy of New Zealand and the spirit of New Zealand. You feel that when you see the photos from back home, of everyone getting behind the whole team.
"I can't describe how much that means. We don't often get to feel that on the tour. We have the country next to our name, but it's for ourselves. To be able to come to the Olympics and come away with a bronze and do it for New Zealand... it's just very surreal."
A three-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist in men's doubles and the current world No. 50, Daniell hopes that their special achievement will be felt on the tennis courts of New Zealand for many years to come.
"We've made a little bit of history today and I really hope it's inspiring to the younger generation in New Zealand and gets people to pick up some tennis rackets and see [tennis] as a high performance sport, as an Olympic sport."
Venus and Daniell’s triumph meant a tough loss for USA, who come away from the tennis event at an Olympic Games empty-handed for the first time since Antwerp 1920. Americans have collected 39 tennis medals, including 25 since the sport was re-integrated into the Games in 1988, but they couldn’t add to that tally in Tokyo.
The pumped-up Kiwis appeared super-charged from the off in their bronze-medal play-off, even if it took a first set tie-break to separate the two teams.
Daniell and Venus displayed nifty hands and fast feet throughout, but edged proceedings in the first set by proving watertight on serve. With little to choose between either pair in the first 12 games, the Kiwis pulled up five set points for a 6-1 lead in the tie-break and, though they missed their first two set points, ultimately clinched the opener on Venus’ serve when Krajicek dragged a forehand wide.
They broke the Sandgren serve for a 2-0 lead in the second when the American sprayed a reply to a bullet Venus forehand wide of the tramlines, and held the advantage through to 5-2.
With the writing on the wall for Team USA, the Kiwis stepped it up another notch, winning in style when they broke Krajicek to love when Venus pounced at the net to secure a momentous bronze.
"We're a proud sporting country," said doubles world No. 20 Venus, who had become the first men's doubles Grand Slam champion from New Zealand in 43 years when he won with Ryan Harrison at 2017 Roland Garros.
"We're a small country but we love our sports. Both of us grew up watching the Olympics, it's the pinnacle of the events in New Zealand. To see all the great athletes before us come here and compete and win medals.... just firstly to be part of the team here, and to get to know the other athletes and their stories was very special. To win a medal on top of that... it's just unbelievable. I'm super happy and proud of us."