Olympic Victory for Victoria

She might be underestimated as the world number 1, but Victoria Azarenka showed just what she's made of at the 2012 London Olympics, winning two historic medals for her country, Belarus. 

Crashed by Serena Williams in the singles semifinals, Azarenka regrouped to defeat her former doubles partner, Russian Maria Kirilenko, to claim the bronze. It's true that after her sensational start to the season, the Belorussian lost momentum, failing to collect another title, and thus being overshadowed by Sharapova's success at Roland Garros and Serena's phenomenal run at Wimbledon. Things didn't go that bad though. After a surprising defeat to Sharapova in the Stuttgart final, she succumbed to Serena in the Madrid final. The French title was hers for the taking, but the nerves and the pressure got the best of her and she lost in the fourth round to Dominika Cibulkova. After that she lost only to her nemesis Serena, both at Wimbledon and now at the Olympics, in both occasions unluckily running into the American in the semis.
To be honest, with Serena in such a devastating form, Azarenka did not really stand a chance to collect the individual gold medal. However, she fancied much better in the mixed doubles where she teamed up with Max Mirnyi. The Belorussian duo started as prime favorites, but had to withstand a strong assault, especially in the latter stages. After barely escaping Indian Sania Mirza and Leander Paes in the quarterfinals, they had to come back from a set down to defeat Americans Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan in the semis.
Victoria and Max are not at their first appearance together. The two share a prestigious past, winning the 2007 US Open and the 2008 Roland Garros titles together. Although they did not team up much since, the magic was still here and the Belorussian denied a perfect ending for the British audience, overcoming Laura Robson and Andy Murray to claim the gold medal.

With Serena completely demolishing Sharapova in the women's final, Azarenka is guaranteed to retain her number 1 rankings. So, independent on all the controversy, she is still the best player in the world. Next stop for her is the Canadian Open in Montreal, where she faces a really difficult draw.

Azarenka defeated Maria Kirilenko 6-3,6-4 to claim her first Olympic medal, joining silver medalist Maria Sharapova and champion Serena Williams on the Olympic podium.

Azarenka achieved her Olympic goal, winning the gold medal in mixed doubles alongside partner Max Mirnyi. The Belorussians were joined on the podium by Britons Laura Robson and Andy Murray (silver) and Americans Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan (bronze).

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Hard-Working Maria Grabs Olympic Medal

One of the most overlooked players on the WTA tour, Russian Maria Kirilenko experienced quite an outstanding London Olympics, advancing to the semifinals in both singles and doubles. In singles she pulled off the upset in the quarterfinals, defeating former Wimbledon champion, Czech Petra Kvitova. The Russian beauty was unable to follow up though, losing to her compatriot, Maria Sharapova, in the semis. However, her chances of a medal did not vanish completely, as she faced world number 1 and former doubles partner, Victoria Azarenka, in the bronze medal match. 

As expected, Azarenka's powerful groundstrokes prevailed, leaving Maria miserable as she wasted a huge breakthrough opportunity. Luckily for her though, she could focus all her misfortune into achieving the feat in the doubles. Faith was not kind however, as she and teammate Nadia Petrova were draw to face the unbeatable Williams sisters in the semis. The Russians lost and Kirilenko once again failed short in her quest. At this stage, her Olympic dream seemed to drift further away.
She still had one shot though. The bronze medal clash with Americans Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond. Although they lost the first set, the Russians fought back, taking advantage of Huber's injury to turn things around and ensure a 4-6,6-4,6-1 victory. The result marks a really solid period in Maria's career. After her Wimbledon quarterfinal, she is now the proud owner of an Olympic medal. 

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Murray Finds Perfect Time to Shine

A month after his heartbreaking loss to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final, Andy Murray showed he has it in him to win the big matches, thrashing the Swiss to win the Olympic gold medal in front of an ecstatic home crowd. 

The Briton produced a sensational display from start to finish, blowing Federer off the court to finally achieve the British dream and fulfill the heavy expectations that laid on his shoulders. Coming off his marathon victory over del Potro in the semis, the Swiss had no fight left in his tank, being beaten 2-6,1-6,4-6 in what should have been the completion of his life long dream, the individual Olympic gold medal.

"This is the biggest win of my life," said Murray after winning the biggest title of his career. "This is the best way to come back from the Wimbledon final ... I felt so fresh."

Having fallen in four Grand Slam finals, Murray shows some winning spirit to delight the home nation with a galactic triumph that confirms him as a tennis champion. It remains to be seen if the Briton can now fulfill his potential and win that elusive Slam. Federer might have been under the weather, but the newly found mental strength can propel Murray as a serious contender for the number 1 ranking. I said it once and I stress it again, but I think Andy is better than Djokovic, so seeing the Serb achieve such an outstanding 2011 season, I am positive Murray's time to shine will come soon.
Murray added a silver medal to his tally, teaming up with teenager Laura Robson to advance to the mix doubles final. The British tandem, who needed an IFT wildcard to make it into the draw, delighted the home crowd with some inspired play. Although they've won the first set 6-2, they ended up losing the gold medal to the experienced Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi.

In a rather surprising order, the men's singles podium featured Juan Martin del Potro, bronze, Roger Federer, silver and Andy Murray, the gold medal winner. 

Besides his success in singles, Andy Murray teamed up with 18 year old Laura Robson to claim silver in mixed doubles. The duo lost the final to Belorussians Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi.

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A Giant Medal for del Potro

One day after his heartbreaking defeat to Roger Federer in the longest three setter in Open Era history,  Juan Martin del Potro shook off the disappointment and took the court to battle it out for the bronze medal with former world number 1, Novak Djokovic. Although he trails the Serb 1-4 in their head-to-head record, del Potro showed no signs of intimidation. A crucial break in the latter stage of the opener got him the first set. An increasingly frustrated Djokovic found it difficult to stay in touch with the powerful Argentinean and a break of serve in the opening stages of the second set proved decisive. Some whipping forehands and killer serves were enough to ensure a sensational 7-5,6-4 victory.

"I think I'm the most happy [person in] the world at this moment," said a physically drained, yet overly enthusiastic del Potro "It's our (Argentina's) first medal at this Olympic Games. It's the first time in men’s singles. I think it means a lot for us. I wish a fantastic day for [Argentineans] to celebrate this with me… It's amazing. It's history, I think. It's time to celebrate all together.

"After a really sad day two days ago, it's not easy to recovery and to play these kind of matches. But I had energy in my body, in my heart and that's helped me to play this big challenge. I think I played really close to my best level, like against Federer."

Shaking off the disappointment of losing 15-17 to Federer in the semis, del Potro defeated former world number 1, Novak Djokovic, 7-5,6-4 to claim the Olympic bronze medal.

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Golden Serena Crowned Olympic Champion

Ever since making her comeback last June, Serena Williams was expected to resume from where she left off, quickly regaining her reign at the top of the women's tennis. Things didn't go quite so smooth though, but it all seems to have clicked after the sensational triumph at Wimbledon where she claimed her 14th Grand Slam crown, in addition to winning the double title with her sister Venus.

Unbeaten since, the American wrapped up the Stanford title, before taking a devastating form into the Olympics. Easy wins over the likes of Jelena Jankovic, Urszula Radwanska, Vera Zvonareva and Caroline Wozniacki, propelled her in the battle for her first individual medal. Just like she has done so many times, when shove comes to push, the American upped her game and produced a sensational display, leaving her rivals thunderstruck and enable to fight back. It was the case of world number 1, Victoria Azarenka, who once again failed to find an answer to Serena's tremendous serve, losing 1-6,2-6 in a repeat of their Wimbledon semifinal. 

Attempting to join Steffi Graf as the only player in history to achieve a career Golden Slam, the American absolutely crushed Russian Maria Sharapova, the French Open champion, 6-0,6-1 showing why she is the best tennis player in world. "I've never played better," a jubilant Williams said. "Playing against Maria you have to be at your best. I knew that. She won the French Open, she never loses this year. She's playing the finals of everything so I knew it was going to be tough."

Not only did Serena will all Slams and the Olympic god medal, but she is also the only player to have achieved the same feat in doubles as well. Reflecting on her accomplishment, the American declared: "It's too much. I never expected gold in singles. I was so happy with my doubles golds. I thought if my career's over I have my gold medal, now I have everything, literally. I have everything there is to win in tennis. Where do I go from here? Now I can go to Disneyworld," she added.
A day after winning the singles gold, the American added the doubles gold too, teaming up with sister Venus to become the first duo tennis to win the same discipline at three Olympic editions. The Williamses have previously won gold in Sydney in 2000 and in Beijing in 2008.

Much like the rest of the field, Maria Sharapova was no match to Serena Williams. The American absolutely smashed her Russian opponent 6-0,6-1 to complete a career Golden Slam.

Golden girl, Serena Williams, shared the podium with Maria Sharapova, silver, and world number 1, Victoria Azarenka, who beat Maria Kirilenko for the bronze medal.

Serena became quadruple Olympic champion after she and sister Venus beat the Czechs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka to secure their third gold in doubles.

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The Golden Brothers

The world's greatest tennis duo, the Bryan brothers, added the only missing piece to their impressive resume by winning a long-fancied first Olympic gold medal. Bob and Mike upgraded the bronze they won in Beijing in 2008, holding off to a powerful French assault In their last two matches. After defeating Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet in the semis, the Americans overcame their compatriots, Michel Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-4,7-6 in the gold medal match.

"This is the biggest win of our career right here. It's unbelievable," said Bob Bryan. “To play on Centre Court at Wimbledon and win the gold medal is a dream come true. We could stop tomorrow and we got a big smile on our face for the rest of our lives," completed Mike. The twins dedicated the victory to their parents, Wayne and Kathy. "This one is dedicated to you guys. We love you. Mum, thanks for all the hard lessons every day for two hours. Dad, you ran the best clinics."

The beaten finalists did not dwell too much on their misfortune, both Llodra and Tsonga stating they are very proud of their achievement. "It was our dream for us to win one medal,” said Llodra. “It's second place but it's huge. Even if we lost today it's a big moment." And although Tsonga admitted he is a bit disappointed, he too was utterly happy with his achievement: "Of course we are disappointed about this final, but anyway it's something really good to get this medal. It's really something big and we will never forget this moment."

Earlier in the day, Benneteau and Gasquet beat Spaniards David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez 7-6,6-2 to claim the bronze medal, ensuring a historic performance for France, who had both teams featured on the Olympic podium.

The Bryan brothers held off to a strong French assault, beating bronze medalists Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet in the semis, before disposing of Michel Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to claim the gold medal.

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A Fashion Scoop from the Olympics

With the London Olympics the highlight of the 2012 season, many players put all their efforts into ensuring a great run on the grass-courts of SW19. Exempt from the rule of wearing all white and pumped by the honor of playing for their countries, the players made sure they look exceptionally well. Not everyone succeeded, though there wasn't any major fashion faux-pas. The clear stand-outs were the Williams sisters and the British players who showcased some stupendous outfits. The ones that failed to impress were the Nike ambassadors, topped by fashionista Maria Sharapova who is struggling to regain her credentials.

The Red-White Team

Roger Federer - SWITZERLAND

Maria Sharapova - RUSSIA

Caroline Wozniacki - DENMARK

Three fashion titans, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki, opted for a red-white ensemble, reminiscent of their countries' flags. The Swiss maintained his fashion imperialism looking as sharp as ever in a red RF polo which he matched to a white pair of shorts. The Russian on the other side continued the recent boring trend, her outfit failing to make an impression. I think what makes it odd is the skirt and that strange dusty striped pattern. The only interesting aspect though is the back, the tiny blue stripe proving a really inspired touch. The Dane showcased an OK-ish attire, courtesy of Stella McCartney. She should lose the cap though, as it's really not flattering.

The Adidas Team

Ana Ivanovic - SERBIA

Flavia Pennetta - ITALY

Maria Kirilenko - RUSSIA

Kim Clijsters - BELGIUM

Maintaining the cool, fresh vibe, Adidas produced a line attire which could be used by a multitude of nationals. The interesting aspect about this squad was the presence of Kim Clijsters, who agreed to comply with the Belgian rules and wore Adidas in order to be able to represent her country. Faithful to her long-term sponsor, Fila, Kim fought with the Belgian officials and, as they did not agree with her terms, she decided not to compete at the 2004 Athens games.  

The Nike Team

Petra Kvitova - CZECH REPUBLIC

Sabine Lisicki - GERMANY

Victoria Azarenka - BELARUS

Na Li - CHINA

There was nothing duller at the Olympics than the Nike garments. Slightly personalized to match each country's specifics, the attire was the same old showcased for almost two seasons now. It's time Nike comes up with something new, else this threatens to become a really boring territory. While Li, Lisicki or Kvitova are common figures on the worst dressed list, it was surprising to see world number 1, Victoria Azarenka, displaying such an ill-inspired look.

The Golden US Team

The entire US team proved it knows how to dress up for Olympic success. In traditional blue, red and white, Andy Roddick, the Bryan brothers and the Williamses showcased some entertaining outfits propelling them to the top of the fashion pile. They are the worthy winner of the Fashion Scoop gold medal.

Andy Roddick - USA

Bob & Mike Bryan - USA

Venus Williams - USA

Hindered by her immune disease, Venus did not manage to cause an upset in the women's competition. Her efforts, though noteworthy, were ended in the third round by the in-form German Angelique Kerber. However, the American once again stole the show retaining her status as the best dressed tennis player. Moving away from the drama of her previous garments, her EleVen dress, inspired by the American flag, had a simple cut, yet the design was edgy and memorable. It was one of the best outfits of the season so far.  

Serena Williams - USA

Sister Serena is not one to fall behind easily. Wearing a coloured version of her Wimbledon dress, the youngest Williams perfectly endorsed the American spirit with her navy, red and white garment. I like the powerful color combination as well as the fading checked pattern at the bottom of the dress. This look is worthy of a gold medalist, the American absolutely smashing Russian Maria Sharapova to win the women's final.

The People's Team

Andy Murray - GREAT BRITAIN

Laura Robson & Heather Watson - GREAT BRITAIN

Heather Watson - GREAT BRITAIN

Laura Robson - GREAT BRITAIN

Laura Robson & Andy Murray - GREAT BRITAIN

The fashion surprise of this tournament came from the British squad who upped their game in front of their home crowd, showcasing some stunning pieces inspired by the superb British flag. Similar in color scheme with the US team, Andy Murray and co. made their first big fashion statement. I really like the armbands, as well as the usage of the same cross detail in several parts of the garments.

The French Team

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - FRANCE

The French team showcased an interesting attire. What I really appreciated about was the fact that they did not opted for generic garments. Either blue or white, their Adidas clothes were unique, perfectly matching the national identity, as well being cool, fresh and interesting.

The Australian Team

Lleyton Hewitt - AUSTRALIA

The Polish Team

Agnieszka Radwanska - POLAND

Backed-up by her killer result at Wimbledon where she lost a three-setter to Serena Williams, Aga Radwanska was carrying her country's expectation at the Olympic Games. However, the tenacious Pole was left miserable after losing first round to Julia Goerges. She failed to score at the fashion department too, the electric blue - pink color combination making her outfit look cheap. Also the big Poland writing and the fact that it portrays in no way her country's red-white colors, make her dress an ill-inspired choice.

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