Williams Sisters Achieve Olympic History in Doubles Final

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Williams Sisters Achieve Olympic History in Doubles Final

By Erik Gudris

(August 5, 2012) -- Serena Williams and Venus Williams set yet another milestone in their storied careers as they became the first players in tennis history, man or woman, to win four Olympic gold medals.

Taking on Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova in a rematch of the Wimbledon doubles final held just a few weeks ago, today's gold medal match was expected to be another display of fearsome power from all four women though it was the Czechs who got off to a nervy start as Hradecka dropped her opening service game.

Though Venus Williams looked sharp, it was her sister Serena, fresh off winning gold in the women's singles, who didn't share the same spark early on in the first set.

The Czech team managed to earn several break points on Venus's serve, including when she served for the set at 5-4, but Williams reeled off three straight almost unreturnable deliveries followed by three loud "Come on's!" from the former No. 1 as she closed out the set 6-4.

It took facing and then saving several break points against her early in the second set for Serena to finally look fully amped up as the Czechs began raising their level. But the Williams Sisters raised theirs and then some as Venus held serve to love and, with better hitting and better volleying from the Americans, the Czechs were broken to love for 2-3.

Both teams held serve leading to Serena serving for the gold medal at 5-4. After quickly getting out to 40-15, deft volley winners from the Czechs pulled the game to deuce. Serena hit an ace giving her team a third match point and this time it was Venus who hit a final backhand volley winner to clinch a 6-4, 6-4 win.

The victory sets yet more records for the Williams Sisters as it gives them their third gold in women's doubles (Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, London 2012), and now each woman has four Olympic gold medals (one in singles, three in doubles), making them among the most successful women to compete in the tennis event in Olympic history.

Russians Claim Bronze Medal

In the bronze medal match, Americans Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond took on Russia's Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova. The Americans jumped out to an early 4-2 lead that allowed them to serve out the first set 6-4.

The key game came at 2-all in the second set when Kirilenko fought off multiple break points against her in an extended game that the Russian finally won when Huber sent a lob long. Petrova later hit a crosscourt backhand return winner to break Huber allowing the Russians to win the set and level the match.

Huber, dealing with stomach pain called for a medical time out before the start of the final set. Though each team held serve early on, it was Huber who double faulted to give the Russians a 3-1 lead. From there, Russia took control of the match and it was a final missed volley from Huber that gave Russia a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win and with it the bronze medals and the first Olympic medals ever for both Kirilenko and Petrova.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)