Tennis

Italy's Lorenzo Musetti stunned defending champion Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals of the Olympic tennis tournament on Thursday, securing a 7-5, 7-5 victory over the German world number four. Musetti's triumph sets up a tantalizing semifinal clash against either top seed Novak Djokovic or Stefanos Tsitsipas, with a place in the gold medal match on the line.Musetti, ranked 76th in the world, displayed remarkable composure and resilience throughout the match. He broke Zverev's serve in the opening game of the first set and held on to his advantage, despite facing some stern challenges from the German. Zverev fought back in the second set, breaking Musetti's serve in the fourth game. However, Musetti remained unfazed and broke back immediately, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.In the crucial moments, Musetti's superior court coverage and ability to hit deep, penetrating groundstrokes proved decisive. He forced Zverev into numerous errors and capitalized on the German's uncharacteristic unforced mistakes. Musetti sealed the victory with a powerful forehand winner, sending shockwaves through the Ariake Tennis Park.Musetti's victory marks a significant upset in the Olympic tennis tournament. Zverev, who won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was considered one of the favorites to repeat his success. However, Musetti's impressive performance has thrown the tournament wide open and has given him a chance to create history for Italy.The 19-year-old Italian has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, having defeated world number 12 Diego Schwartzman in the second round. His victory over Zverev is a testament to his growing maturity and confidence on the big stage. Musetti will now face an even greater challenge in the semifinals, but he will be buoyed by his recent success and the support of the Italian fans.

Andy Murray's Olympic farewell tour continues with a thrilling victory in men's doubles at the Tokyo Games. Partnering with Dan Evans, the British duo defeated Belgians Sander Gillé and Joran Vliegen 6-3, 6-7 (8), 11-9 to reach the quarterfinals.Murray, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in singles, had previously announced that the Tokyo Games would be his final tournament. Despite withdrawing from singles to preserve his body, the 34-year-old has shown remarkable resilience in doubles.The British pair faced a stern test in the second round against the Belgian duo. After winning the first set comfortably, Murray and Evans faced a spirited comeback from Gillé and Vliegen. The Belgians forced a tiebreaker in the second set and saved two match points before ultimately succumbing to the Brits in a nail-biting 11-9 match tiebreaker.The match was filled with drama and tension. The Brits saved five match points in their first-round victory over Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel, and they once again showed their fighting spirit against the Belgians.Murray and Evans will now face either the American duo of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul or the Dutch pair of Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer in the quarterfinals.Murray's Olympic journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions. He has experienced the highs of winning gold medals and the lows of injury setbacks. But through it all, he has shown unwavering determination and a love for the sport.As Murray prepares to bid farewell to the Olympic stage, he will be hoping to add one more medal to his impressive collection. With Evans by his side, he has a real chance of achieving that goal.