Tennis: Australia’s number one and Olympic 13th seed Samantha Stosur has made it through to the third round of the Rio competition with a 6-3 6-4 victory over world number 35 Misaki Doi of Japan and will now face German world number two Angelique Kerber.
“It was straight sets but it was still pretty tough out there and we had some really long games, especially at the start at the game,” Stosur said.
“Being down three love in the second I really had to try and pull it back as much as I could and thankfully then I was able to get back to three all and feel a little bit better about things being back on serve.
“She (Doi) is a tough competitor and it was quite tough conditions out there today,” Stosur added.
“It was quite swirly down on the court and really heavy and it wasn’t easy for easy for either of us to generate a lot of pace but I played a little bit better in the end."
With tennis team mates Daria Gavrilova, Sam Groth, John Peers and Chris Guccione as well as athletes and officials from the wider Australian Olympic Team including Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller, looking on, Stosur embraced the parochial support from the stands.
“It is great to have your teammates out there supporting you,” said Stosur. “I really appreciate them all coming out and doing their best for me.
"Grothy (Sam Groth) actually said to me at the end that it was getting a bit dead out there so he had to get his voice going and if anyone can do it is him and they were all fantastic today and it is nice to have them out there."
The victory is the four-time Olympian’s best performance to date at the Games following previous exits in the first and second rounds and she knows she will need to play well to progress even further in the tournament.
“It is going to be hard, Kerber is the second best player in the world and she has won a Grand Slam, made the final of another one and she is playing really well at the moment,” said Stosur.
“I have had success against her in the past I know I am going to have to play some very good tennis to win and I have really got nothing to lose but I fully believe I can win this match and I going to go out there and give it everything I can”.
Stosur and Kerber have played seven times with Kerber leading the head to head 4-3.
Australia will face Japan again tonight when our last remaining men’s singles hope and Olympic record holder, John Millman, plays tonight (Tuesday morning) against number four seed Kei Nishikori.
Jo Banning
olympics.com.au
