Which Tennis Stars are Flag Bearers?

Tennis players Andy Murray, Caroline Wozniacki, and Rafael Nadal proud to be named flag bearers for their respective countries in this year’s games.

The latest tennis star to be chosen as flag bearer for their country is world no. 2, Andy Murray, who will be doing the honors for Great Britain in tonight’s opening ceremony.

“To lead out Team GB will be an incredible honour, the biggest in sport,” he told BBC Sport.

Fresh off his Wimbledon victory this year and with brother Jaimie, he will be competing in singles and doubles in the Games. He is also the reigning Gold Medalist in singles, having won on his home turf of Wimbledon at the London Games. Along with his mixed doubles partner in London, Laura Robson, he also won Silver in Doubles there.

“I obviously have great memories of London and I am 100% focused on winning here in Rio,” Murray added. “The privilege of being the flag bearer is a moment I will remember for the rest of my life and will certainly be one of the highlights of my career.”

His mother (and former coach) Judy Murray told BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, “He’s been through Beijing and London. He kind of knows what it’s all about and so he has a much bigger sense of the duty and the occasion and of course the opportunity, so I think he’s going to find it a little bit emotional.”

The 29-year-old was selected over British boxer Nicola Adams and rower Katherine Grainger.

Jaimie Murray told The Guardian, “He is one of the great athletes of our country and I think it’s fully deserved. We know how much dedication he has put in over the years.”

https://twitter.com/5liveSport/status/761273758766235654

Hopefully, when the ceremony comes around, his flag holding skills will improve:

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki

The selection process for former world no. 1 Caroline Wozniacki was a bit backwards. She was selected the Danish flag bearer before she knew if she would be approved to play in the games.

Injuries had prevented her from completing the Fed Cup requirements prior to the Games and she had to undergo an appeal process in order to be allowed to compete.

But once the two-time US Open Finalist was selected, she tweeted her excitement along with photos of herself with the flag:

https://twitter.com/CaroWozniacki/status/695618859617906688

She is also only the third Danish woman to have the honor bestowed upon her.

Nadal: a No-Brainer

It may come as a surprise that 14-time Grand Slam and tennis legend Rafael Nadal has never carried his country’s flag before, despite competing in three Olympics (including upcoming Rio), but that’s because he WAS selected for London, but then pulled out due to injury.

This time around, Nadal is again battling an injury-prone season, but has made it clear that representing his country is a bigger motivator than being 100% physically ready for this Olympics.

“The Olympic Games is the most important sports event. It is unique and different,” Nadal said at an April press conference in Madrid, when the announcement was made.

“Clearly, it’s another plus to be the flag bearer and I have already had to give it up in London. To give it up two times in a row would have been very hard and has, of course, influenced my decision to compete. Chances to be in the Olympics are very few. I missed out on London so, for me, the main thing is just to be here.”

Like Murray, Nadal is also a Gold Medalist in Singles, having won at the Beijing Games, although most predict that his chances in Rio are much longer.

But what about the world no.1 player, Novak Djokovic?

Also a Bronze Medalist in Singles in Beijing, he already served as Serbia’s flag bearer in London. His only chance at a medal at those games was stopped by Juan Martin Del Potro, who went on to win the Bronze there. Most odds, however, heavily favor Djokovic this go-around, who, without this year’s Wimbledon third-round exit included, seems invincible.

So Many Out

17-Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is out in Rio, due to rehab on his knee and won’t be coming back until the new year. He holds the distinct honor of having carried Switzerland’s flag twice already, back in 2004 in Athens, and 2008 in Beijing. He was asked again for the London games, but declined in order for his fellow countryman and Olympic Doubles partner, Stanislas Wawrinka, to get the chance. They won the Doubles Gold in Beijing and Federer won the Silver Singles at London, losing to GB’s home favorite, Murray.

“The injuries don’t help,” Murray told The Guardian. “Roger and Stan, if they were both here, that would be everyone who’d won a grand slam in the past 10 years or so. Some people have different concerns about coming here, some to do with Zika.

“It’s unfortunate. The Olympics in London was very strong. It’s a little bit weaker this time around. Everyone views this differently. For me the Olympics is the biggest event by far.”

Tennis will be well-represented in this year’s parade of nations. Tune in Friday night.