TENNIS: Two players with previous Olympic experience and four debutants will take to the court at the Olympic Tennis Centre in Rio after being selected on the 2016 Australian Olympic Team today.

World no.16 Stosur, who will be playing at a record fourth Games for an Australian female player, will lead the Team playing in the women’s singles and doubles.

Stosur has just come of a second round loss at Wimbledon against Sabine Lisicki but will be back raring to go on the hard court in Rio. Todd Woodbridge is the only men’s player to compete at four Olympics.

Joining Stosur in the 64-strong singles draw and partnering her in the doubles is 22-year-old Daria Gavrilova. The Russian-born tennis player and world no.56 became an Australian citizen last year and with a love of AFL club Carlton has well and truly became an Aussie favourite at the Australian Open where this year she made the fourth round.

In the men’s side exciting young gun Thanasi Kokkinakis will make his long awaited return from injury at the Olympic Games. With an injury protected world ranking of no.81 the 20-year-old has been pursuing a comeback timed to make his Olympic debut.

He’ll be joined in the men’s singles by world no.67 John Millman who reached the third round of Wimbledon before being beaten by local favourite Andy Murray.

In the men’s doubles world no.10 John Peers will make his Olympic debut alongside Beijing 2008 Olympian and world no.48 in doubles Chris Guccione.
The selection of these six athletes brings the Australian Olympic Team to 260 athletes, with the full team of more than 400 athletes expected to be finalised by mid-July. 

ANNIE KEARNEY
olympics.com.au