Olympic Rewind July 23, 2020

Team spirit: Olympic doubles medalists of the Open Era

One year out from the beginning of the Tokyo Olympics, www.wtatennis.com looks back at those to have won medals in women's and mixed doubles tennis.

Pam Shriver and Zina Garrison won the first Olympic doubles gold of the Open Era at Seoul 1988, defeating Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 in an epic final. — 01 /28

Pam Shriver and Zina Garrison won the first Olympic doubles gold of the Open Era at Seoul 1988, defeating Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 in an epic final.

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Helena Sukova (pictured) and Jana Novotna took silver at Seoul 1988 playing for the then-Czechoslovakia, having defeated Stefanie Graf and Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in the semifinals. — 02 /28

Helena Sukova (pictured) and Jana Novotna took silver at Seoul 1988 playing for the then-Czechoslovakia, having defeated Stefanie Graf and Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in the semifinals.

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Joint bronze at Seoul 1988 went to Germany's Claudia Kohde-Kilsch and singles gold medalist Stefanie Graf (pictured) and Australia's Elizabeth Smylie and Wendy Turnbull. — 03 /28

Joint bronze at Seoul 1988 went to Germany's Claudia Kohde-Kilsch and singles gold medalist Stefanie Graf (pictured) and Australia's Elizabeth Smylie and Wendy Turnbull.

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Gigi Fernandez and Mary Joe Fernandez (no relation) won their first gold together at Barcelona 1992 for the USA, defeating home favorites Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 7-5, 2-6 6-2 in the final. — 04 /28

Gigi Fernandez and Mary Joe Fernandez (no relation) won their first gold together at Barcelona 1992 for the USA, defeating home favorites Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 7-5, 2-6 6-2 in the final.

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Spanish top seeds Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario dropped just 10 games en route to the Barcelona 1992 final in front of their home fans, but had to settle for silver. — 05 /28

Spanish top seeds Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario dropped just 10 games en route to the Barcelona 1992 final in front of their home fans, but had to settle for silver.

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Competing for the Unified Team of 12 former Soviet republics, Georgia's Leila Meskhi and Belarus's Natasha Zvereva took joint bronze at Barcelona 1992, falling to Gigi and Mary Joe Fernandez in the semifinals. — 06 /28

Competing for the Unified Team of 12 former Soviet republics, Georgia's Leila Meskhi and Belarus's Natasha Zvereva took joint bronze at Barcelona 1992, falling to Gigi and Mary Joe Fernandez in the semifinals.

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The USA's Gigi Fernandez and Mary Joe Fernandez successfully defended their Olympic gold on home soil at Atlanta 1996 without dropping a set, beating Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova 7-6(6), 6-4 in the final. — 07 /28

The USA's Gigi Fernandez and Mary Joe Fernandez successfully defended their Olympic gold on home soil at Atlanta 1996 without dropping a set, beating Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova 7-6(6), 6-4 in the final.

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Atlanta 1996 saw Czechs Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova capture their second Olympic silver together, beating Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario - who took bronze over Manon Bollegraf and Brenda Schultz-McCarthy - in the semifinals. — 08 /28

Atlanta 1996 saw Czechs Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova capture their second Olympic silver together, beating Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario - who took bronze over Manon Bollegraf and Brenda Schultz-McCarthy - in the semifinals.

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The USA's Venus Williams became the first player in the Open Era to win both singles and doubles gold at Sydney 2000, partnering sister Serena to defeat Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans 6-1, 6-1 in the final. — 09 /28

The USA's Venus Williams became the first player in the Open Era to win both singles and doubles gold at Sydney 2000, partnering sister Serena to defeat Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

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Unseeded Dutch pair Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans took silver at Sydney 2000, while Belgians Els Callens and Dominique Monami sealed bronze after both duos beat Belarusians Olga Barabanschikova and Natasha Zvereva in the semifinals and play-off. — 10 /28

Unseeded Dutch pair Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans took silver at Sydney 2000, while Belgians Els Callens and Dominique Monami sealed bronze after both duos beat Belarusians Olga Barabanschikova and Natasha Zvereva in the semifinals and play-off.

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Li Ting and Sun Tiantian became the first Chinese Olympic tennis medalists at Athens 2004, beating Chanda Rubin and Venus Williams 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in the first round and Conchita Martínez and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 6-3 in the final. — 11 /28

Li Ting and Sun Tiantian became the first Chinese Olympic tennis medalists at Athens 2004, beating Chanda Rubin and Venus Williams 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in the first round and Conchita Martínez and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 6-3 in the final.

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Athens 2004 saw Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual capture her first of two Olympic medals and Conchita Martínez her last of three, defeating Shinobu Asagoe and Ai Sugiyama in the semifinals to seal silver. — 12 /28

Athens 2004 saw Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual capture her first of two Olympic medals and Conchita Martínez her last of three, defeating Shinobu Asagoe and Ai Sugiyama in the semifinals to seal silver.

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Paola Suárez and Patricia Tarabini captured the Athens 2004 bronze for Argentina after beating Shinobu Asagoe and Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-3 in the third-place play-off. — 13 /28

Paola Suárez and Patricia Tarabini captured the Athens 2004 bronze for Argentina after beating Shinobu Asagoe and Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-3 in the third-place play-off.

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The USA's Venus and Serena Williams reclaimed the doubles gold at Beijing 2008, defeating Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a semifinal between sister duos, then Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-0 in the final. — 14 /28

The USA's Venus and Serena Williams reclaimed the doubles gold at Beijing 2008, defeating Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a semifinal between sister duos, then Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-0 in the final.

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Virginia Ruano Pascual and Anabel Medina Garrigues's silver at Athens Beijing 2008 is the most recent of Spain's six Open Era women's Olympic tennis medals, sealed with a 6-4, 7-6(5) semifinal defeat of home favorites Yan Zi and Zheng Jie. — 15 /28

Virginia Ruano Pascual and Anabel Medina Garrigues's silver at Athens Beijing 2008 is the most recent of Spain's six Open Era women's Olympic tennis medals, sealed with a 6-4, 7-6(5) semifinal defeat of home favorites Yan Zi and Zheng Jie.

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Yan Zi and Zheng Jie won a marathon quarterfinal 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 over top seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina, then beat Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 6-2 to win the bronze play-off in front of the Chinese duo's home crowd at Beijing 2008. — 16 /28

Yan Zi and Zheng Jie won a marathon quarterfinal 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 over top seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina, then beat Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 6-2 to win the bronze play-off in front of the Chinese duo's home crowd at Beijing 2008.

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Serena and Venus Williams extended their Olympic winning streak together to 15 with their third gold at London 2012, a run in which the Americans did not drop a set and sealed with a 6-4, 6-4 final win over Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka. — 17 /28

Serena and Venus Williams extended their Olympic winning streak together to 15 with their third gold at London 2012, a run in which the Americans did not drop a set and sealed with a 6-4, 6-4 final win over Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.

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Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka became the first Czech tennis medalists in 16 years at London 2012 after sealing silver by upsetting top seeds Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in the semifinals. — 18 /28

Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka became the first Czech tennis medalists in 16 years at London 2012 after sealing silver by upsetting top seeds Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in the semifinals.

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Russians Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova took bronze at London 2012 after defeating top seeds Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the third-place play-off. — 19 /28

Russians Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova took bronze at London 2012 after defeating top seeds Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the third-place play-off.

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The return of mixed doubles to Olympic tennis at London 2012 saw bronze singles medalist Victoria Azarenka capture Belarus's first gold in the sport with Max Mirnyi after beating Laura Robson and Andy Murray 2-6, 6-3, [10-8] in the final. — 20 /28

The return of mixed doubles to Olympic tennis at London 2012 saw bronze singles medalist Victoria Azarenka capture Belarus's first gold in the sport with Max Mirnyi after beating Laura Robson and Andy Murray 2-6, 6-3, [10-8] in the final.

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A 19-year-old Laura Robson partnered Andy Murray to become the first Britons to win an Olympic tennis medal at London 2012, taking silver on Wimbledon's Centre Court after winning match tiebreaks in each of their matches except the final. — 21 /28

A 19-year-old Laura Robson partnered Andy Murray to become the first Britons to win an Olympic tennis medal at London 2012, taking silver on Wimbledon's Centre Court after winning match tiebreaks in each of their matches except the final.

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Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan took the mixed doubles bronze at London 2012 for the USA, edging Sabine Lisicki and Christopher Kas 6-3, 4-6, [10-4] in the third-place play-off. — 22 /28

Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan took the mixed doubles bronze at London 2012 for the USA, edging Sabine Lisicki and Christopher Kas 6-3, 4-6, [10-4] in the third-place play-off.

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Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina did not drop a set en route to gold at Rio 2016, defeating Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova in the semifinals 7-6(7), 6-4 and Timea Bacsinszky and Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-4 in the final. — 23 /28

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina did not drop a set en route to gold at Rio 2016, defeating Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova in the semifinals 7-6(7), 6-4 and Timea Bacsinszky and Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-4 in the final.

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Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky saved a match point to defeat Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2 in the Rio 2016 semifinals, sealing silver for Switzerland in the process. — 24 /28

Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky saved a match point to defeat Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2 in the Rio 2016 semifinals, sealing silver for Switzerland in the process.

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Rio 2016 saw an all-Czech bronze play-off, with Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova - who had dealt out Serena and Venus Williams's only Olympic loss as a team ever in the first round 6-3, 6-4 - beating Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 7-5, 6-1. — 25 /28

Rio 2016 saw an all-Czech bronze play-off, with Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova - who had dealt out Serena and Venus Williams's only Olympic loss as a team ever in the first round 6-3, 6-4 - beating Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 7-5, 6-1.

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An all-American mixed doubles final at Rio 2016 saw Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock take the honors, edging Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram 6-7(3), 6-1, [10-7] for the gold medal. — 26 /28

An all-American mixed doubles final at Rio 2016 saw Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock take the honors, edging Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram 6-7(3), 6-1, [10-7] for the gold medal.

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The USA's Venus Williams, already tied with sister Serena for the most Olympic tennis golds in history (four), also tied Kitty Godfree for the most Olympic tennis medals overall with her fifth - silver in mixed doubles at Rio 2016 with Rajeev Ram. — 27 /28

The USA's Venus Williams, already tied with sister Serena for the most Olympic tennis golds in history (four), also tied Kitty Godfree for the most Olympic tennis medals overall with her fifth - silver in mixed doubles at Rio 2016 with Rajeev Ram.

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Lucie Hradecka made up for her fourth-place doubles finish at Rio 2016 by joining Radek Stepanek to beat Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna 6-1, 7-5 in the mixed doubles third-place play-off, winning bronze for the Czech Republic. — 28 /28

Lucie Hradecka made up for her fourth-place doubles finish at Rio 2016 by joining Radek Stepanek to beat Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna 6-1, 7-5 in the mixed doubles third-place play-off, winning bronze for the Czech Republic.

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