Tokyo Olympics: Liam Broady beaten in men’s tennis singles but Novak Djokovic marches on

Meanwhile, the women’s singles semi-finals were set

Alex Pattle
Wednesday 28 July 2021 20:52 BST
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Tokyo 2020 round-up

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Britain's hopes of a medal in the men's tennis singles at Tokyo 2020 ended on Wednesday as Liam Broady was beaten by Jeremy Chardy of France.

Broady, a late call-up by Team GB this month, shocked Wimbledon semi-finalist Hubert Hurkacz in the second round but lost to Chardy at the next hurdle, falling in three sets.

Chardy took the first set on a tiebreak, 7-6(3), before surrendering the next frame to the world No143 by a 4-6 scoreline. The final set was much more straightforward for the Frenchman, however, who claimed it 6-1.

Broady's exit followed the elimination of compatriots Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury in the men's doubles.

Elsewhere in the men's singles, world No1 Novak Djokovic continued his quest for a first Olympic gold medal by beating Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets.

Djokovic's dominance this season has seen him win the first three Grand Slams of the year to equal Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's joint-record of 20 major men's titles. The greatest honour to elude the Serb, however, is Olympic gold, with the 34-year-old having picked up bronze in the men's singles in 2008.

Djokovic's 6-3 6-1 victory over Davidovich Fokina moved him into the fourth round in Tokyo, one step closer to the Golden Slam of winning all four majors in a single season as well as an Olympic gold medal.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev of Germany beat Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4 7-6(5), and Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas was stunned by France's Ugo Humbert.

Humbert fought from behind to emerge as a 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2 winner against the world No4.

In the women's singles, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated Spain's Garbine Muguruza 7-4 6-1 to advance to the semi-finals, while Ukraine's Elina Svitolina beat Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-4 6-4.

Rybakina next faces Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, and Svitolina takes on the Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova, who upset home favourite Naomi Osaka earlier this week.

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