Source: Xinhua
08-17-2008 07:52
Special Report: 2008 Beijing Olympic GamesBEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Fourth seeds Roger Federer and fellow-Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka beat Swedes Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson 3-1 in the men's doubles final the Olympic Games here on Saturday.
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| Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland compete during the men's doubles gold medal match of Beijing Olympic Games tennis event against Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson of Sweden in Beijing, China, Aug. 16, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) |
Federer/Wawrinka, who have only played their fourth tournament together, needed two hours and 48 minutes to beat the Swedes in their first-ever meeting 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3.
The gold came as a great compensation for the singles world number one Federer, who had aimed to claim the gold in men's singles, only to be sent packing by American James Blake in the quarterfinals.
It was also Switzerland's second Olympic tennis medal, with Marc Rosset winning the men's singles gold medal at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.
"It is like a fantastic dream comes true, I feel really happy to win the gold medal. It is great, I enjoy that," said Federer in mixed zone. "I have tried for several times (to get a medal), and I came really close to the medal in Sydney where I finished fourth."
"Since then I can't stop thinking that If I am the best player in the world, I should do the same in the Olympics, and then finally I made it, it is really special also because it is for Switzerland, you know, our country can not get so many medals at one Olympics, maybe one or two, but this time I got a gold medal, it is for my country, I really feel different, as it is for my coutry, it is different from the Grand Sam where I did it for just myself."
