Nestor, Pospisil to meet U.S. for bronze after losing semifinal
Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil will have to settle for a shot at bronze in Rio, as the Canadians were bounced from the men's doubles tournament in straight sets 7-6, 7-6 by the Spanish team of Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez on Thursday.
It will be a reunion of sorts for Pospisil, as the United States - and his ATP doubles partner Jack Sock - await in the clash for bronze after the Americans were also defeated in straight sets by Romania.
Nestor, visibly upset with the chair umpire over two contentious points in the second-set tiebreaker, won't get an opportunity to double his gold medal haul; the 43-year-old captured the top Olympic prize in 2000 alongside former partner Sebastien Lareau.
Nestor said in his 25 years of playing pro tennis, he's never seen two calls go so badly against him. Said he lost faith in the chair umpire
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) August 11, 2016
The lack of Hawkeye technology, and thus challenges, wasn't lost on the victorious Nadal.
Nadal says he lobbied ITF to change courts before match; says there's no way a match of such importance should have no Hawkeye review
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) August 11, 2016
Despite the controversy, Pospisil admitted that the Canadians, himself in particular, simply didn't play well enough to win.
"I don't think we played our best. I didn't play my best," Pospisil said after the match.
He'll have to regroup quickly, as the bronze medal encounter is slated for tomorrow.
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