Tokyo Olympics: Liam Broady beaten in men’s tennis singles but Novak Djokovic marches on

Britain’s hopes of a medal in the men’s tennis singles at Tokyo 2020 ended on Wednesday as Liam Broady was beaten by Jeremy Chardy of France.

Broady, a late call-up by Team GB this month, shocked Wimbledon semi-finalist Hubert Hurkacz in the second round but lost to Chardy at the next hurdle, falling in three sets.

Chardy took the first set on a tiebreak, 7-6(3), before surrendering the next frame to the world No143 by a 4-6 scoreline. The final set was much more straightforward for the Frenchman, however, who claimed it 6-1.

Broady’s exit followed the elimination of compatriots Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury in the men’s doubles.

Elsewhere in the men’s singles, world No1 Novak Djokovic continued his quest for a first Olympic gold medal by beating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets.

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Djokovic’s dominance this season has seen him win the first three Grand Slams of the year to equal Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s joint-record of 20 major men’s titles. The greatest honour to elude the Serb, however, is Olympic gold, with the 34-year-old having picked up bronze in the men’s singles in 2008.

Djokovic’s 6-3 6-1 victory over Davidovich Fokina moved him into the fourth round in Tokyo, one step closer to the Golden Slam of winning all four majors in a single season as well as an Olympic gold medal.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev of Germany beat Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4 7-6(5), and Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas was stunned by France’s Ugo Humbert.

Humbert fought from behind to emerge as a 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2 winner against the world No4.

In the women’s singles, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated Spain’s Garbine Muguruza 7-4 6-1 to advance to the semi-finals, while Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-4 6-4.

Rybakina next faces Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, and Svitolina takes on the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova, who upset home favourite Naomi Osaka earlier this week.

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