Team USA Tennis at the Olympics

After being delayed a year due to coronavirus, the 2020 Olympic Games are set to kick off on 23 July 2021. 16 days of sporting excellence in Tokyo will follow with over 300 events scheduled across 33 sports in total.

Tennis may not seem like the most traditional Olympic event, but fans in Japan will be treated to it all the same. Among the favorites to take home a host of medals is the United States.

The sport is immensely popular across the country and is home to many successful tennis players including Serena Williams. Statistics found that an estimated 700,000 Americans tuned in to watch the U.S. Open Tennis tournament last year. Now that a spike in gambling legalization in the US has occurred, it is expected more people are now likely to watch and bet on tennis matches, especially at this year’s Olympics. Various states have now legalized online betting including Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, New York has also recently passed online sports betting bill.

With the support from their fans at home, could Team USA be successful at this year’s games? Here is everything you need to know about Team USA at the Olympics.

History of Tennis at the Olympics

It may not have been played by the Ancient Greeks, but tennis has been a staple of the Olympics for some time now. It was part of the first ever modern Olympics, held in 1896.

Tennis continued to feature until 1924, when a dispute between the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the Olympic committee led to it being pulled. However, after a few exhibition events it returned to the Games officially in 1988.

Ever since it has been one of the main draws of the Olympics. Tennis tickets are usually some of the most in demand of all and this does not seem likely to change any time soon.

Team USA results at previous Olympics

The USA has an excellent record at the Olympics. Across all of the Summer and Winter Games, they have collected more medals than any other nation in history.

It is not even close either, with their closest competitors the USSR a full 1,600 medals behind. They are unlikely to add to this tally any time soon, for obvious reasons.

The United States’ overall dominance at the Olympics has been mirrored in the tennis events. Overall US players have taken home 39 medals in total at the Games.

21 have been gold, 6 silver, and 12 bronzes. British players have more medals in total with 43, but they are lagging behind with just 17 golds.

Despite the United States possessing such a strong pedigree, they only managed to pick up two sets of medals in 2016. They tasted glory in the mixed doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock beating fellow American team Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram.

Team USA so far

After recording a fairly meagre medal haul in Rio de Janeiro, the USA’s tennis stars will be keen to impress this summer. Competition for places is fierce as well, particularly in women’s singles.

Each country is permitted to take six male and six female players. Entrance to the singles competitions is capped at four players each, while two doubles pairing can compete.

Here is how the field looks in each category.

Male Players

The United States was dealt a blow when their top-ranked men’s player, John Isner, confirmed that he would be skipping the Olympics in March. Isner believed that the Olympics were not a priority in his career and instead wanted to focus on the upcoming summer matches in the United States.

Another contender for the team, Reilly Opelka, is also being tipped to turn the honor down leaving the United States short of quality options. Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul are pretty much confirmed and Sebastian Korda is likely to get the call up as well.

None of these players have much tournament pedigree, though. In truth, the United States will need a small miracle to take a medal home in the men’s singles this year.

In the doubles, defeated 2016 mixed finalist Rajeev Ram should return and the Bryan brothers could also be called up for the men’s only event.

Female Players

Although things look bleak in the men’s section, the US has reason to be hopeful for their women’s chances. They currently have 11 players ranked in the top 50 and speculation about who will get the nod is rife.

One player who will definitely be going is Sofia Kenin. The young sensation was just 17 at the time of the previous Olympics and could scoop gold this time around.

Kenin has already won her first major, the 2020 Australian Open, and will be ranked sixth in the world going into the games. She will be joined at the Olympics by the evergreen Serena Williams.

She has a great pedigree, holding a joint record for most tennis Olympic golds with four. Her most recent triumph was London 2012 and knowing this is her last Games, she will be looking to go out with a flourish.

Williams could be joined by her sister Venus as well, who she has formed a fearsome doubles team in the past. If it does happen it will be more out of sentiment with the older Williams currently ranked outside the top 100.

Another player who is hopeful of being selected is Jennifer Brady, who has risen up the ranks dramatically this year. Madison Keys and Coco Gauff are also contenders.

With such a strong field to choose from, don’t be surprised if the United States women add to their already impressive medal haul this summer.