Daniell/Venus Upset Cabal/Farah In Tokyo
New Zealand pair Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus sprung a surprise on Wednesday at the Tokyo Olympics as they upset third-seeded Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 to reach the semi-finals.
Daniell and Venus are competing together for the first time since 2016 this week. They won 82 per cent (36/44) of their first-service points in the match to advance in one hour and 36 minutes against Cabal and Farah, who have claimed two tour-level titles this season at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
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The New Zealanders will next face Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig after the Croatians battled back to overcome British team Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury 4-6, 7-6(2), 10-7. Cilic and Dodig rallied from a set and a break down to book their spot in the last four.
Murray was aiming to win a fourth Olympic medal this week, having claimed gold in the 2012 and 2016 singles event along with a silver in the 2012 mixed doubles (w/Robson).
Top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic also advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Japanese pair Ben McLachlan and Kei Nishikori. The Croatians have won eight tour-level titles this year, including three ATP Masters 1000s and Wimbledon. They will next meet Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren after the Americans downed Germans Jan-Lennard Struff and Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4).