Singles: Bencic, Djokovic hone in on historic golds
Novak Djokovic (SRB) def. Kei Nishikori (JPN)
Djokovic is now just two wins away from a long-awaited Olympic gold medal in men's singles.
Serbia's twenty-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympian cruised through his quarterfinal match against Japan's Kei Nishikori, taking the win 6-2, 6-0 in 71 minutes. None of his four matches in Tokyo have gone to three sets.
The victory takes Djokovic further in his pursuit of a calendar Golden Slam (winning all four Grand Slams plus the Olympics in one year).
Belinda Bencic (SUI) def. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Break points, long rallies, and grueling comebacks defined a rollercoaster of a match between Switzerland's No. 9 seed Belinda Bencic and Kazakhstan's No. 15 seed Elena Rybakina.
But ultimately, Bencic guaranteed herself an Olympic medal in Tokyo by winning a tumultuous semifinal. Victory secured, she fell to her knees and wiped away tears -- nearly three hours after taking to Centre Court.
Final score: 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-3.
Doubles semifinals: Slam winners go for gold
Cilic/Dodig (CRO) def. Daniell/Venus (NZL)
We could be headed for an all-Croatian men's doubles final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Marin Cilic -- the 2014 U.S. Open singles champion -- and compatriot Ivan Dodig routed New Zealand's Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus in their semifinal doubles match, 6-2, 6-2. The Croatians managed five aces and two break point conversions in a match that lasted all of one hour and 15 minutes. They're now guaranteed a medal, but will it be gold or silver?
Mektic/Pavic (CRO) def. Krajicek/Sandgren (USA)
The American men's doubles tennis team of Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren lost to the top-seeded Croatian team of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic on Thursday and will move on to the bronze medal match. The Mektic/Pavic team won 6-4, 6-4 in 81 minutes, hammering seven second-set aces.
Krajicek and Sandgren are United States' last shot to win a medal in tennis at these Olympics. They will now face New Zealand's Daniell and Venus to play for a spot on the podium
Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE) def. Kudermetova/Vesnina (ROC)
The Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, the No.1 seeds with three Grand Slam titles as a duo (Krejcikova was also the surprise singles winner at this year's French Open), downed the Russian team of Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina, 6-3, 3-6, 10-6.
Pigossi/Stefani (BRA) vs Bencic/Golubic (SUI)
Switzerland's Belinda Bencic got her second win of the day, defeating Brazil's Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani alongside Viktorija Golubic. They will be the underdogs in the gold medal match against Krejcikova and Siniakova.
Mixed Doubles Quarterfinals:
Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Nina Stojanovic cruised into the semifinals with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Germany's Laura Siegemund and Kevin Krawietz in a quick 70 minutes. Djokovic and Stokanovic will face the Russian Olympic Committee's Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev in the semifinals on Friday.
Japan's Ben McLachlan and Ena Shibahara lost to the ROC's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-7, 10-8. The Japanese pair was the host nation's last chance to win a tennis medal at these Olympics after Kei Nishikori lost earlier in the day.
MORE RESULTS:
Vesnina/Karatsev (ROC) def. Swiatek/Kubot (POL)
Barty/Peers (AUS) def. Tsitsipas/Sakkari (GRE)