Novak Djokovic claimed Serbia’s first-ever Olympic tennis medal on Saturday while the giant-killing run of China’s Li Na came shuddering to a halt.
Djokovic won a slug-fest with United States number one James Blake 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to clinch the bronze medal, compensating for his disappointing semifinal loss to Rafael Nadal.
Earlier, Dinara Safina ousted Li 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 to set up an all-Russian final with 2000 silver medallist Elena Dementieva, who beat compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
”Although I lost today, I did my best. I believed in myself that I could have done it. Safina was just better,” said Li.
The results guarantee the dominant Russians their first women’s tennis gold after Yevgeny Kafelnikov’s Sydney 2000 triumph for the men.
Meanwhile, 2000 doubles champions Venus and Serena Williams came from behind against Ukraine’s Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko to win the only all-sister match in Olympic history 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
In the men’s match, Djokovic got the crucial first-set break at 2-1 and took the lead with a service winner.
With both inseparable in the second set, the world number three took out his frustrations by smashing his racquet.
Neither player was struggling on serve but they couldn’t break either, and they were well-matched in the tie break until a let cord helped Djokovic set up two match points.
As Blake blazed long, Djokovic (21) collapsed to his knees in delight and then brandished the Serbian flag on court. It was Serbia’s first Olympic tennis medal and their second success of the day after Milorad Cavic’s silver in the 100m butterfly swimming.
But the result meant further frustration for Blake, who earlier beat Roger Federer but was livid after his semifinal with Fernando Gonzalez, accusing him of bad sportsmanship.
Thousands of fans had packed Centre Court to watch Li, ranked 43rd, who rode a wave of home support to reach the last four.
With occasional shouts of ”Russia!” drowned out by ear-splitting boos, French Open runner-up Safina snatched the first set with a monster second serve.
Serving to stay in the match at 5-6 in the second set, Li crumbled, netting to set up three match points and handing over a place in the final after a long rally.
Afterwards Safina hit out at a gruelling schedule that had her playing doubles at nearly 4am on Saturday morning.
”I was a bit angry, so I just put everything on the tennis court and I was just trying to stay focused point by point,” she said. ”I knew that the crowd would be against me. But I also accepted it because for me it doesn’t matter.”
Li had already made history as the first Chinese player to reach the last eight of an Olympic singles event. She stunned Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in round one and Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in the quarterfinals. — Sapa-AFP