Olympic wrap: Delpo, Serena march on

After the seismic shock of Novak Djokovic going out of the Olympics at the first hurdle, normal service was somewhat resumed on Day Three of the Olympic Tennis Event (that’s apparently the official name of the event).

The women’s action:
Serena Williams is looking ominously good in the Olympics right now. Playing the first of the night session matches, the top seed eased through a potentially tricky tie with Alize Cornet 7-6(5) 6-2.

“It was big motivation because I haven’t done well against her in the past,” said Williams. “I really wanted to play well because she always seems to play well against me.”

If anyone is going to stop Serena Williams from claiming a fifth Olympic Gold medal, it’s most likely to be Angelique Kerber. After an initial drop in form after winning the Australian Open, the German has been blasting her way past pretty much anyone she has faced. Today was no different, with the World No.2 dismantling Genie Bouchard 6-4 6-2.

“I am trying to enjoy every single moment on court here because it is really special,” Kerber said post-match. “The Olympics you play for your country, and then the Village, it is a little bit different to the normal hotels with all the athletes from the world, so I am really trying to take the energy when I am going on court.”

Before Kerber gets another shot at Serena, though, the American will have to negotiate a way past Garbine Muguruza. The Spanish No.1 is another player in blistering form this week, crunching Nao Hibino 6-1 6-1.

Elsewhere, Petra Kvitova comfortably overpowered Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4; Madison Keys came through an epic tussle with Kiki Mladenovic, downing the Frenchwoman 7-5 6-7(4) 7-6(5); Sam Stosur maintained the Aussie charge with a 6-3 6-4 win over Misaki Doi; Jo Konta ousted Caroline Garcia 6-2 6-3; and Monica Puig beat an in-form Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 6-2.

The men’s action:
Juan Martin Del Potro marches on. If there were any concerns about a post-Djokovic hangover (or getting stuck in a lift again, for that matter), the big Argentine put them to bed against Joao Sousa. Scheduled third on Centre, Delpo recovered from his emotional late night win to down the Portuguese star 3-6 6-1 6-3 and set up a clash with Taro Daniel.

Kei Nishikori had to fight back from a break down in both sets to get the better of Aussie John Millman. Nishikori, who is the highest seed left in the top half of the draw, was made to scrap in the 7-6(5) 6-4 win.

Gael Monfils is another man to watch out for in the draw. The Rogers Cup semifinalist is most definitely firing on all cylinders in Rio, brushing aside home favourite Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-2 6-4.

It wasn’t all good news for the French team. The No.5 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bowed out of the singles with a 6-4 6-3 defeat to Gilles Muller.

Elsewhere, Roberto Bautista Agut downed Paolo Lorenzi 7-6(2) 6-2; Marin Cilic beat Radu Albot 6-3 6-4; and Taro Daniel dismissed Kyle Edmund 6-4 7-5.