A Short History of Tennis at the Olympics

There isn't much tennis on atm so I thought I'd take a gander at tennis at the Olympics.  It's been an Olympics sport since the first modern Olympics in Athens,1896 (although for men only of course, a lady might chip a nail or become a lesbian), it was won by a British man, John Pius Boland.  Scant information available, certainly no fancy photos (of the tennis, but here's a nice Greek weightlifter) but since you had to be entirely amateur to compete at the Olympics back then you can almost guarantee he was rather posh. 

Ladies were allowed to compete four years later, in Paris and Charlotte Cooper (three times Wimbledon champ) won the singles and mixed doubles and became the first female Olympic tennis gold medalist.  Incidentally, until 1904 only the winners received medals (silver medals) and diploma, and runners-up a copper medal and diploma.  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have since retroactively awarded gold, silver, bronze to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd places in the 1896 and 1900 Olympics.
The Men's event featured three former Wimbledon winners in the semi-final, once again I point out there were few people who had the resources to travel and compete without turning professional so it isn't surprising the same names cropped up in finals.  One guy, Lawrence Doherty got to the final when his older brother Regie stepped aside, as they wouldn't play each other in a 'minor tournament'.  Ouch take that Olympics...burn. 

The women were clearly too distracting in their full-length tennis skirt, and they weren't included in the 1904 Olympics, in St Louis.  Shockingly, as there was only one foreign entrant, the host nation won every medal going.  But this was an entirely competitive tournament, as you can see in this picture of the Olympic tug-of-war...

Women were allowed back in 1908, this was in London and the British team were extremely successful; 146 medals, 56 gold, 51 silver, 39 bronze.  Only 22 countries had participants though (the UK competed as the UK and some Irish athletes boycotted the games with some American support), and in some events only British athletes competed.  In the mens 400metres an American athletes was disquliafied and the final was re-run but the two other American athletes refused to run to protest the judges decision.  Meaning British man Wyndham Halswell (posh) won the one man final, and gold medal.  In tennis they played indoors and outdoors, and women competed in the singles but not doubles, there was 50 competitors; 40 men and 10 women from 10 nations which must have been thrilling for all concerned. 

The 1912 Olympics in Stockholm don't seem to be at all interesting.  After that the First World War proved something of an interruption, the 1916 games had been scheduled to be held in Berlin but these were cancelled.  In 1919, the Paris Peace Conference created new states and new sanction on who could compete.  Budapest had been selected to host the games but as the Austro-Hungarian Empire had been a German alley the games were transferred to Antwerp.  Germany, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary were banned from the games, Germany remained banned until 1925 and held a series of Winter games.

Tennis disappeared from the games after 1924 and didn't return until 1968 for unknown and entirely suspicious reasons I believe.  On return, in Mexico, it was only a demonstration exhibition.  The games were really known for the massacre that killed 44 people ten days before the start of the games, or the black power salute of two black American sprinters (Tommie Smith and John Carlos) on the medal podium.  They were suspended from the US team and banned from the Olympic village.  And Czechoslovakian gymnast Vera Caslavska turned and walked away from the podium as the Soviet anthem played in a protest against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia- she was subsequently forbidden to travel and compete at sporting events.
 

To Be Continued...

Well two days of rain,  player complaints, and water seeping into a broken court has resulted in a Monday finish for the US Open so we've just had the men and women's semi-finals.  Predictably on the men's side it was the top 4 players to get to the last four spots, Djokovic took on Federer after another rain delay in the first semi.  I only heard the match on the radio- really wish I could have seen it because it sounded like a cracker.  Djokovic started off slowly, while Federer was on top form and Fed took the first two sets 7-6 6-4.  But suddenly Djokovic was on fire and Federer was in a slump and Djok took the next two sets 6-3, 6-2.  And then it was all to play for in the fifth set with Federer having the advantage serving first.  And at 4-3 Federer broke to love, and served to 40-15 with two match points on his serve.  Dkokovic threw his cap into the crowd, perhaps believing he had lost the match, but managed to break back.  Then won the next 4 games winning the fifth set 7-5 and match.  Djok into the final and Federer without a GS title for the first time since 2002.

In the second semi- Nadal took on Murray, whilst I was tucked up in bed.  But no surprises when I woke up Nadal had beaten Murray in four sets.  This is the third time this year Nadal has beaten Murray in a Grand Slam Semi. So the men's final will be played tonight (9pm UK time) between Nadal and Djokovic for the second year in a row. 

In the women's game Serena Williams, who I don't like for the record and who lost in the Semis in 2009 after being docked a point for racquet abuse and then foot faulted to give the match to Clijsters and then was fine £53,000 and put on probation for subsequently verbally assaulting the line judge, beat World Number One Caroline Wozniaki.  Wozniaki may be irk some people for being a world number one without winning a grand slam, and be rather bland, but has never threatened to kill anyone on court, as far as I know.  And Australian Sam Stosur beat German Angelique Kerber, unseeded surprise semi-finalist, to get to her second grand slam final.  Stosur was beat by Schiavone in the 2010 French Open Final and struggled to find form after that. 

Stosur and Williams battled it out last night, with Stosur outplaying Williams and winning 6-2 6-3, a shock win as most people will have assumed that Serena would over power anyone she came up against this week.  Serena showed her aggression and intimidating nature in the controversial element of the match that had not much to do with actual playing- during one point Williams hit an unreturnable forehand winner and screammed 'Come On!' in that way Americans do before the point was over.  The Umpire ruled this an intentional verbal hiderance.  In all fairness the point should probably just have been replayed, instead Stosur won the point and game.   It did not end there, however, as Williams continued to rant at the umpire through the change of ends:

"If you ever see me walking down the hall look the other way. You're out of control, you're a hater and you're unattractive inside."
"Who would do such a thing? And I never complain. Wow. What a loser."
"You get a code violation because I express my end, we're in America the last time I checked."
"Can I have a water? Or am I going to get violated for drinking a water? Really don't even look at me."

Really clever barbs 'Im sure you'll agree.  She is still on probation for the 2009 incident, and today officials will decide whether she'll be fined again.  So I am rather happy for Stosur, although it's a shame for her that the main story (ok the tiny section of one page that a women's grand slam final gets, about a third of what Andy Murray Sneezes gets) is Serena Williams Tantrums rather that her victory. 

US Open

Well it's all kicking off, or hitting off more accurately but that sounds rather violent, and we're through day two of the US Open.  Good news/ad news from a British perspective Laura Robson (opponent Morita retired injured) and Elena Baltacha (Opponent Hampton retired injured- what's going on?) are through to the next round, Anne Keothothong and Heather Watson are out (Heather won the first set against Maria Sharapova before losing in three sets).  Andy Murray plays someone unrememberable today.   And an Irish guy got food poisoning.

All the big names are through apart from Wimbledon champ Kvitova who lost in the first match.  But Fed, Djok, Nadal, Wozniaki, Zvonerava, Williams(es) et al are all through to the second round.  And Hurrican Irene hasn't affected play one bit. 

Well Djokovic lost his second match of the year when he pulled out half way through the Cincinnatti final against Murray (and Murray won his second title of the year).  Djokovic had a sore shoulder after a long year, so questions have been raised whether he will be fit enough for the upcoming US Open. 

And Maria Sharapova came from a set down to beat Jelena Jankovic in the women's final.  Jelena had come from 1-4 down in the first set to win it, and looked good at the beginning of the second but Sharapova came back and won the second on a tie-break.  Then I went to sleep because my eyes were all sleepy.  But Sharapova won the third 6-3.  

Cinci

After losing in the first round last week, Andy Murray has done better in his current tournament beating Giles Simon today to reach the semi-finals in the Cincinnati Masters, the tournament preceding the US Open.  The British women; Heather Watson, Elena Baltacha, Anne Keothothong all lost their matches, but have places in the main draw of the US Open. 



Serena Williams won a tournament last week but pulled out of Cincinnati with an injury.  And Kim Clijsters has pulled out of the US Open with an injury.  Andy Roddick lost his first match, and was somewhat perturbed by the point penalty he received after two angry outbursts on set point in the second set.  You know I'm trying to like Andy Roddick cos he should have won a Wimbledon and that mean Federer keeps stopping him but dash it he does make it hard.

US Open soon ducks!!!