Blake Wins Rainy Debut Olympic Match

Tennis star admitted feeling nerves; got match point on ace
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 10, 2008 11:00 AM CDT
Blake Wins Rainy Debut Olympic Match
Fans wait out a rain delay during tennis at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008. The tournament faces a backlog of matches over the next seven days.   (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

American James Blake took the first step toward his goal of an Olympic gold in tennis today, beating Australia's Chris Guccione 6-3, 7-6 (3). Blake scored the final point of the tiebreak with an ace. He held service in every game, and only once broke Guccione. Heavy rain delayed many other matches.

Serena Williams led Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-3, 2-1 when her match was suspended. Of the 45 matches scheduled for today, only nine finished, and top-seeded Roger Federer was one of many players still waiting to take the court. With 7 days remaining for six rounds, the pace will be rough—especially for those playing doubles as well as singles. (More James Blake stories.)

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