Two of the most recognizable tennis stars in the world will take center court in the 2016 Olympic Tennis Finals, as Great Britain's Andy Murray will take on Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro. The Scottish Murray stands to make history if he wins the final, making him the first to win two consecutive gold medals, while del Potro is set to make his first Olympic final appearance.
For Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, making it to the finals was not an easy task. The 27-year-old, who is currently ranked number 141 in the world, missed most major tournaments prior to the Olympics due to injuries, which drastically dropped his ATP ranking from a career high 4th.
In his Olympic campaign, del Potro faced tennis's number 1, Novak Djokovic, in the early stages, where he took advantage of an injured Djokovic, to seal the victory. In the semi-final, the Argentinian was once again put to the test as he would face long-time tennis great, Spain's Rafael Nadal. In the match, del Potro would beat Nadal in 2 sets to 1. After winning the match, del Potro fell to the ground and kissed the Rio Olympics logo, celebrating the satisfying win, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Meanwhile, Great Britain's Andy Murray's journey to the finals was much less dramatic, as he imposed his will on his semifinal opponent, Japan's Kei Nishikori. The former gold medalist, defeated Nishikori in impressive fashion, having won his first set in under 30 minutes, according to BBC Sport.
According to the ATP's head to head detail on Murray and Del Potro, both men have previously played 7 games against each other, with Murray winning 5, and del Potro, 2. Murray, who is currently ranked number two in the world, could make history if he won the final, making him the first man to ever win two gold medals in tennis.
