ITF

● Venus Williams continued her stunning winning streak in 2000 by becoming the third American in succession to win the Olympic women's singles title with victory over Elena Dementieva. This triumph paved the way for her entering the record books as the first woman to win singles and doubles gold at the same Games since 1924, evoking memories of Helen Wills. ● The Sydney Games kick-started the love affair between the Williams sisters and the Olympic doubles tournament. Aged 21 and 20 respectively, Venus and Serena thrashed Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans 61 61 in the gold medal match. The Williams combination has conquered the doubles at two other Games so far. ● Fifth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov outlasted Germany's Tommy Haas, who was unseeded, in the men's singles final to claim Russia's first gold medal in tennis. After three and a half hours of heavy hitting, Kafelnikov triumphed 76 36 62 46 63 and declared: "This means my career is not going to be forgotten." 19 – 29 September SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 2000 ITFWorld // SUMMER 2018 19 Sun Tiantian and Li Ting claimed Olympic gold in the 2004 women's doubles RIGHT: The Williams sisters won their first Olympic doubles gold in Sydney RIGHT: Nicolas Massu won a marathon men's singles final against Mardy Fish Venus Williams celebrates her triumph in the singles ● Nicolas Massu and Fernando Gonzalez – the latter also won bronze in the singles in Athens – saved four match points in the fourth-set tie break on their way to beating Germany's Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler 62 46 36 76(7) 64 in the final. The amazing clash, which did not finish until nearly 3am, saw the pair secure Chile's first ever Olympic gold medal. ● Nicolas Massu had just 15 hours to recover from the exhaustion and jubilation of his doubles triumph, after which he was back on court, embarking on another epic showdown, this time in the singles final. The durable Massu won his and Chile's second gold of the Games by powering through a marathon match with unseeded Mardy Fish, winning 63 36 26 63 64. ● Belgium's Justine Henin completed a remarkable comeback from a viral infection, which had seen her play just two matches in four months, to blast her way to victory against France's Amelie Mauresmo, 63 63, in the women's singles final. Henin's victory was sealed despite an exhausting last-four battle with Russia's Anastasia Myskina during which she trailed 5-1 in the final set. ● Eighth seeds Li Ting and Sun Tiantian shocked Spaniards Conchita Martinez and Virginia Ruano Pascual to win China's maiden Olympic gold tennis medal in the women's doubles. Li and Sun prevailed 63 63 against Martinez and Ruano Pascual to boost hopes of Chinese success on home soil in four years' time. ● Spain's Conchita Martinez did, however, become the first player to win medals at three different Olympic Games. Martinez won silver in 1992 and bronze in 1996 – both while partnering Arantxa Sanchez Vicario – before her silver in Athens alongside Ruano Pascual. 15 – 22 August ATHENS, GREECE 2004 ➝

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