Murray Reaches Rio Last Eight

Second seed Andy Murray battled to beat Fabio Fognini 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in Rio on Thursday. The defending Olympic Champion converted on six of his 12 break point opportunities to advance to the quarter-finals, where he will face No. 12 seed Steve Johnson. The American needed 64 minutes to defeat Evgeny Donskoy 6-1, 6-1.

Third seed Rafael Nadal topped No. 15 seed Gilles Simon 7-6(5), 6-3 to advance to the last eight, hitting 21 winners in the two-hour match. Nadal, the Olympic Champion in 2008, will next face home hope Thomaz Bellucci, who upset No. 8 seed David Goffin 7-6(10) 6-4. The Brazilian won 71 per cent of his first serve points and hit 18 winners to advance.

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Juan Martin del Potro prevailed 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-2 over Taro Daniel, firing 43 winners to reach the quarter-finals. The Argentine will look to advance to the medal rounds when he faces tenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, a 6-4, 7-6(4) winner over Gilles Muller. 

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Gael Monfils will take on Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals after beating Marin Cilic 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-4. Nishikori edged Slovakia’s Andrej Martin 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles Final Set

Nadal ensured that he will be taking home at least one Olympic medal, teaming with Marc Lopez to defeat Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 7-6(1), 7-6(4) in the doubles semi-finals. The Spaniards will face Romanians Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau for gold. Mergea/Tecau topped Americans Steve Johnson and Jack Sock 6-3, 7-5. The American and Canadian teams will face off for the bronze medal.