Tokyo 2020 - Team GB’s defending champion Andy Murray to face Felix Auger-Aliassime in Olympic tennis opener
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Updated 22/07/2021 at 10:44 GMT
The only player to win two Olympic singles titles has a tough opener against the Canadian ninth seed, while Novak Djokovic continues his bid for the ‘Golden Slam’ against Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien. His fellow Wimbledon champion, Ashleigh Barty, begins her campaign against Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, with home favourite Naomi Osaka making her return to action by playing Zheng Saisai of China.
'I still love playing' - Murray on going for third Olympic gold
Team GB’s reigning Olympic champion Andy Murray has an extremely tough start to his bid for a third gold, by taking on the ninth seed Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round.
The three-time Grand Slam winner is the only player to have won two Olympic singles titles, but faces a difficult path to achieve a third, given he is still working his way back to full match fitness after a season heavily affected by injury and coronavirus. He was knocked out of Wimbledon in the third round by Auger-Aliassime’s fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov earlier this month.
Novak Djokovic, targeting the ‘Golden Slam’ of winning all four major titles and Olympic gold in one year, begins his campaign against Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien, while fellow top seed and Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty starts by facing Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Home favourite Naomi Osaka is making her much anticipated return to action following her withdrawal from the French Open to focus on her mental health. The Japanese second seed opens her tournament against Zheng Saisai of China.
Of the other British players in the singles, Heather Watson has a winnable match against German Anna-Lena Friedsam, a player ranked just one place above her, while Liam Broady, who was a late replacement for Dan Evans, plays Francisco Cerundolo.
Murray has not been given a much friendlier draw in the men’s doubles. He will team up with Joe Salisbury to face second seeds Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who have won every Grand Slam together but went out in the opening round at Rio 2016.
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#Returnto2012: Murray’s match point against Federer at London 2012
Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski reunite a partnership they had on the ATP Tour up until the end of last year, and they begin by taking on the Argentine pair of Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos.
Play at the Ariake Tennis Park begins on Saturday.
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