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Tennis at the Summer Olympics

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Tennis at the Summer Olympics

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FieldValue
imageTennis pictogram.svg
size150
codeTEN
sporttennis
menevents2
womenevents2
mixedevents1

Tennis was part of the Summer Olympic Games program from the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics, but was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics due to disputes between the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee over how to define amateur players. After two appearances as a demonstration sport in 1968 and 1984 (with a U-21 age limit), it returned as a full medal sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics open for all players regardless of their age and status and has been played at every summer Games since then.

Medals

In 1896, 1900, 1904, 1988, 1992, semifinal losers shared bronze medals. In all other years, a playoff match for the bronze medal was staged. The Olympic tournaments have increased in perceived importance since their reintroduction, with some players, critics and sports pundits considering winning gold at the Olympics just as prestigious as winning a major title and some considering it even more prestigious.

2020 Summer Olympic Games

Gold medal records

Both Serena and Venus Williams have each won a record four gold medals, three each as a doubles pairing, the only players to win the same Olympic event on three occasions. Venus Williams (four gold, one silver) and Kathleen McKane Godfree (one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes) are the all-time record holders for the most Olympic tennis medals, with five each. Andy Murray is the only player to have won two singles gold medals, and the only singles player to have retained the Olympic title. Nicolás Massú, Venus Williams, and Serena Williams are the only players in the Open Era to win both the singles and same-sex doubles tournaments at one Games, doing so in 2004, 2000, and 2012 respectively.

Golden Slams

A player who wins an Olympic or Paralympic gold medal and all four majors in the same year is said to have won a Golden Slam, while a player that has won all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold during their career has a 'career Golden Slam'. As of 2026, Steffi Graf (in 1988) is the only player to have won a single-year Golden Slam. Gigi Fernandez, Serena Williams and Venus Williams are the only players to complete career Golden Slam in doubles twice. In men's tennis, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic each won career Golden Slams. Multiple doubles players have achieved the feat, with Serena Williams the only player to complete the career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. In 2021, wheelchair tennis players Diede de Groot and Dylan Alcott achieved the equivalent wheelchair tennis prize with Paralympic gold, with Alcott additionally completing the single-year Golden Slam.

Tiebreaker games

Since 2021, the deciding set (third) has a 7-point tiebreaker game to decide the match at 6-all. Should the tiebreaker game be tied at 6-all, whoever first establishes a clear two point lead wins the set and the match.

Summary

YearEventsBest Nation
18962GBR (1)
19004GBR (2)
19042USA (1)
19086GBR (3)
19128FRA (1)
19205GBR (4)
19245USA (2)
196810MEX (1)
19842FRG (1)
19884USA (3)
19924USA (4)
19964USA (5)
20004USA (6)
20044CHI (1)
20084RUS (1)
20125USA (7)
20165USA (8)
20205ROC (1)
20245CHN (1)

Surface

The playing surface of the court varies between Olympic Games. It has been on hard court for every Olympics since 1984 except for the 1992 and 2024 Olympics (which were on a clay court) and the 2012 Olympics (which was played on a grass court). The changing playing surface gives certain players different advantages and disadvantages not seen in most other Olympic sports. On three occasions, the event has been held, wholly or partly, at a Grand Slam venue - twice at the All-England Tennis Club at Wimbledon (1908 and 2012) and once at Roland Garros in Paris (2024). In both 2012 and 2024, the Olympic men's singles final was a repeat of the recent Grand Slam final at the same venue (Andy Murray v Roger Federer in 2012, Carlos Alcaraz v Novak Djokovic in 2024), and on both occasions the defeated Grand Slam finalist (Murray in 2012, Djokovic in 2024) gained revenge in the Olympic final.

Events

(d) = demonstration event, (e) = exhibition event

Event9600040812202428–646872–808488929600040812162024EditionsMen's singlesMen's doublesWomen's singlesWomen's doublesMixed doublesMen's singles (indoor)Men's doubles (indoor)Women's singles (indoor)Mixed doubles (indoor)Total
XXXXXXX(d, e)(d)XXXXXXXXXX17
XXXXXXX(d, e)XXXXXXXXXX17
XXXXX(d, e)(d)XXXXXXXXXX15
XX(d, e)XXXXXXXXXX13
XXXX(d, e)Not yet reintroduced}}XXXX8
XXNot occurred since}}2
XXNot occurred since}}2
XXNot occurred since}}2
XNot occurred since}}1
242685500444444555517
Surface9600040812202428–646872–808488929600040812162024YearsIndoorOutdoorCarpetClayGrassHardWood
XX2
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX10
0
XXXXXXXX8
XXX3
XXXXXXXX8
XX2

Champions and venues

List of gold medalists and venues where the Games took place listed below.

Amateur Era (1896–1924)

EventVenueSurfaceMen's singlesWomen's singlesMen's doublesWomen's doublesMixed doubles1896
Athens1900
Paris1904
St. Louis1908
London1912
Stockholm1920
Antwerp1924
Paris
Athens Lawn Tennis ClubClayGBR John BolandNot heldGBR John Boland
German Empire Friedrich TraunNot heldNot held
Cercle des Sports, Île de PuteauxClayGBR Laurence DohertyGBR Charlotte CooperGBR Laurence Doherty
GBR Reginald DohertyGBR Charlotte Cooper
GBR Reginald Doherty
Francis FieldClayUSA Beals WrightNot heldUSA Beals Wright
USA Edgar LeonardNot held
Queen's Club (indoor)WoodGBR Arthur GoreGBR Gwendoline Eastlake-SmithGBR Herbert Roper Barrett
GBR Arthur Gore
All England ClubGrassGBR Major RitchieGBR Dorothea Lambert ChambersGBR Reginald Doherty (2)
GBR George Hillyard
Östermalm Tennis Pavilion (indoor)WoodFRA André GobertGBR Edith HannamFRA Maurice Germot
FRA André GobertGBR Edith Hannam
GBR Charles Dixon
Östermalm Tennis PavilionClayRSA Charles WinslowFRA Marguerite BroquedisRSA Harold Kitson
RSA Charles WinslowGerman Empire Dorothea Köring
German Empire Heinrich Schomburgk
Beerschot Tennis ClubGrassRSA Louis RaymondFRA Suzanne LenglenGBR Noel Turnbull
GBR Max WoosnamGBR Kathleen McKane
GBR Winifred McNairFRA Suzanne Lenglen
FRA Max Decugis
Stade Olympique Yves-du-ManoirClayUSA Vincent RichardsUSA Helen WillsUSA Francis Hunter
USA Vincent RichardsUSA Hazel Wightman
USA Helen WillsUSA Hazel Wightman
USA R. Norris Williams

Open Era (1988–present)

EventVenueSurfaceMen's singlesWomen's singlesMen's doublesWomen's doublesMixed doubles1988
Seoul1992
Barcelona1996
Atlanta2000
Sydney2004
Athens2008
Beijing2012
London2016
Rio de Janeiro2020
Tokyo2024
Paris2028
Los Angeles2032
Brisbane
Seoul Olympic Park Tennis CenterHardTCH Miloslav MečířFRG Steffi GrafUSA Ken Flach
USA Robert SegusoUSA Pam Shriver
USA Zina GarrisonNot held
Tennis de la Vall d'HebronClaySUI Marc RossetUSA Jennifer CapriatiGER Boris Becker
GER Michael StichUSA Gigi Fernández
USA Mary Joe Fernández
Stone Mountain Tennis CenterHardUSA Andre AgassiUSA Lindsay DavenportAUS Todd Woodbridge
AUS Mark WoodfordeUSA Gigi Fernández (2)
USA Mary Joe Fernández (2)
Sydney Olympic Park Tennis CentreHardRUS Yevgeny KafelnikovUSA Venus WilliamsCAN Sébastien Lareau
CAN Daniel NestorUSA Serena Williams
USA Venus Williams
Athens Olympic Tennis CentreHardCHI Nicolás MassúBEL Justine HeninCHI Fernando González
CHI Nicolás MassúCHN Li Ting
CHN Sun Tiantian
National Tennis CenterHardESP Rafael NadalRUS Elena DementievaSUI Roger Federer
SUI Stanislas WawrinkaUSA Serena Williams (2)
USA Venus Williams (2)
All England ClubGrassGBR Andy MurrayUSA Serena WilliamsUSA Bob Bryan
USA Mike BryanUSA Serena Williams (3)
USA Venus Williams (3)BLR Victoria Azarenka
BLR Max Mirnyi
Olympic Tennis CentreHardGBR Andy Murray (2)PUR Monica PuigESP Marc López
ESP Rafael NadalRUS Ekaterina Makarova
RUS Elena VesninaUSA Bethanie Mattek-Sands
USA Jack Sock
Ariake Tennis ParkHardGER Alexander ZverevSUI Belinda BencicCRO Nikola Mektić
CRO Mate PavićCZE Barbora Krejčíková
CZE Kateřina Siniaková[[File:Russian Olympic Committee flag.png24x24pxlink=Russian Olympic Committee athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympics]] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
[[File:Russian Olympic Committee flag.png24x24pxlink=Russian Olympic Committee athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympics]] Andrey Rublev
Stade Roland GarrosClaySRB Novak DjokovicCHN Zheng QinwenAUS Matthew Ebden
AUS John PeersITA Sara Errani
ITA Jasmine PaoliniCZE Kateřina Siniaková
CZE Tomáš Macháč
Dignity Health Sports ParkHard
Queensland Tennis CentreHard

Participating nations

Nation9600040812202428–646872–8084889296000408121620EditionsALGARGARMANZAUSAUTBAHBARBLRBELBENBERBOHBOLBIHBRABULCANCHICHNTPECOLCRCCIVCROCYPCZETCHDENDOMECUEGYESAESTFINFRAGEOGERGBRGREHAIHKGHUNINDINAIRLISRITAJPNKAZLATLIELTULUXMADMEXMDAMNEMARNEDNZLNGRNORPARPERPHIPOLPORPURROCROURUSSCGSRBSVKSLORSAURSKORESPSWESUITHATOGTUNTURUKREUNUSAURUUZBVENFRGYUGZIMNations totalPlayers total
112
5156889676711
1113
11
1212367710786101014
33235131332212
222225
11
24253237
1681333253410
11
11
1483
112
122
1134343447711
23211227
3275642354411
212222218
125434845510
132133558
224345
11
122
245512468
112
478118767
75554
103521322111112
112
4313
21
11
2213
411115
11416101024574798791017
2113
11576354278912
262211810356561287616
7132342142211
11114
11
13652155422212
6132242474311
1352226
42224
14134317
483458866877613
2422457543361113
3273
21124
112
11
1112116
2213
2615432229
11
11
121125
2151155323411
3111226
1313
7342116
2211116
32114
11
132267768
1222226
312115
81
3543225639
245991087
11
46654
55744337
434415
335466528
472
154542118
48324677119129813
416841236454531115
34224334522212
2232126
11
112215
11
2242646
51
535196777710101012111115
1113
211115
34114
4353
1233
13223317
64210141427-15-34384855525248445645
132636508275124-45-64129177176182170169184199191

Medal tables

All-time

Sources:

Open Era

Amateur Era

Multiple medal winners

TotalNameGoldSilverBronze
5USA Venus Williams410
4USA Serena Williams400
4GBR Reginald Doherty301
3USA Vincent Richards210
3GBR Andy Murray210
3GBR Laurence Doherty201
3USA Mary Joe Fernández201
3FRA Suzanne Lenglen201
3RSA Charles Winslow201
2CZE Kateřina Siniaková200
2ESP Rafael Nadal200
2GBR John Pius Boland200
2GBR Charlotte Cooper200
2USA Gigi Fernández200
2FRA André Gobert200
2GBR Arthur Gore200
2GBR Edith Hannam200
2CHI Nicolás Massú200
2USA Hazel Wightman200
2USA Helen Wills Moody200
2USA Beals Wright200
5GBR Kathleen McKane Godfree122
4GBR Charles Dixon112
3FRA Max Décugis111
3CHI Fernando González111
3GER Steffi Graf111
3GBR Major Ritchie111
2GBR Herbert Barrett110
2SUI Belinda Bencic110
2RUS Elena Dementieva110
2SUI Roger Federer110
2RSA Harold Kitson110
2GER Dorothea Köring110
2RUS / RUS Elena Vesnina110
2AUS Todd Woodbridge110
2AUS Mark Woodforde110
2GBR Max Woosnam110
3USA Mike Bryan102
2SRB Novak Djokovic101
2AUS John Peers101
2BLR Victoria Azarenka101
2USA Jack Sock101
2FRA Marguerite Broquedis101
2USA Bob Bryan101
2USA Zina Garrison101
2USA Edgar Leonard101
2TCH Miloš Mečíř101
2USA Jack Sock101
4ESP Arantxa Sánchez Vicario022
3GBR Harold Mahony021
3ESP Conchita Martínez021
3CZE Jana Novotná021
2USA Rajeev Ram020
2GBR George Caridia020
2FRA Henri Cochet020
2GBR Dorothy Holman020
2GRE Dionysios Kasdaglis020
2JPN Ichiya Kumagae020
2USA Robert LeRoy020
2FRA Yvonne Prévost020
2ESP Virginia Ruano Pascual020
2CZE Helena Suková020
2USA Alphonzo Bell011
2SWE Sigrid Fick011
2ARG Juan Martín del Potro011
2CZE Lucie Hradecká011
2FRA Albert Canet002
2SWE Stefan Edberg002
2CRO Goran Ivanišević002
2USA Marion Jones002
2GBR Arthur Norris002
2BOH Hedwiga Rosenbaumová002

Double crown

Players who won two events at the same Games listed below.

YearMen's singles &
men's doubles189619001904190819122004
GBR John Boland
GBR Laurence Doherty
USA Beals Wright
GBR Arthur Gore
RSA Charles Winslow
CHI Nicolás Massú
YearWomen's singles &
women's doubles192420002012
USA Helen Wills
USA Venus Williams
USA Serena Williams
YearMen's doubles &
mixed doubles1900
GBR Reginald Doherty
YearWomen's singles &
mixed doubles190019121920
GBR Charlotte Cooper
GBR Edith Hannam
FRA Suzanne Lenglen

Point distribution

From the 2004 until the 2012 Summer Olympics, the ATP and the WTA Tours awarded ranking points, for singles players only, who competed at the Summer Olympics. This was discontinued beginning with the 2016 Summer Olympics.

2004

Main article: Tennis at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's singles#Ranking points

2008

Main article: Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics#Ranking points

2012

Main article: Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics#Points distribution

References

References

  1. Soltis, Greg. (July 27, 2012). "Olympic Events Through History". [[LiveScience]].
  2. Williams, Wythe. (July 27, 1928). "SOCCER AND TENNIS BARRED IN OLYMPICS". [[The New York Times]].
  3. "Olympic Tennis Event – History: Overview". [[International Tennis Federation]].
  4. (October 2, 1981). "2 More Olympic Games". [[The New York Times]].
  5. (July 12, 2012). "Olympics or Slams – What's More Important For Tennis Players?". Let, Second Serve.
  6. Paul Fein. (September 20, 2012). "How Important Is an Olympic Gold Medal in Tennis?". World Tennis Magazine.
  7. (30 July 2015). "1988: Steffi Graf wins the Golden Slam". [[Tennis (magazine).
  8. (13 September 2021). "Dylan Alcott achieves history-making 'golden slam' with US Open final victory". [[The Guardian]].
  9. "Medals by Countries - Tennis".
  10. (1 Jun 2011). "ITF and ATP announce Olympic agreement". ITF Tennis.
  11. "Ranking Points". ITF Tennis.
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