(2 August 1996; Day 14)
Seventh-seeded Lindsay DAVENPORT became the third United States woman to win an Olympic singles championship, posting her first career win over Spain's Aranxta SANCHEZ VICARIO, 7-6 (6), 6-2 in Friday's gold medal match at Stone Mountain Park. The victory gives DAVENPORT her first-ever tournament victory on U.S. soil and duplicates the Olympic efforts of Jennifer CAPRIATI, who struck gold for the U.S. at the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
"This is definitely the most proud I've ever been in my life," DAVENPORT said of her first Olympic medal. "Not only for myself, but for my family and my country. Last night, when Michael JOHNSON and Dan O'BRIEN were on the (medal) stand, I thought I'd like to hear (the national anthem) tomorrow so much. And when the ball went out on match point, I couldn't believe it."
No. 3-seed SANCHEZ VICARIO held a 5-0 career record over DAVENPORT before Friday's Olympic final, and was the fourth seeded player to fall victim to DAVENPORT, who dropped only one set -- to No. 5 Anke HUBER (GER) -- en route to the gold.
"I played four players who were ranked above me," the No. 10-ranked DAVENPORT said of her road to the gold medal. "I had to work really hard this week. Billie Jean (KING, Team USA coach) told me in Fed Cup three weeks ago that she thought I could win the gold here. She thought this could be my tournament, and I'll never thank her enough for giving me that kind of confidence and support."
DAVENPORT's confidence was apparent during the close first set of the final, as both players held serve to force a tiebreak. She jumped to a 4-2 lead in the breaker before a forehand error opened the door for SANCHEZ VICARIO to even things at four points all.
DAVENPORT won two straight points to earn double set point at 6-4, but made two backhand errors to even things again at 6-6. The point of the match came after DAVENPORT serve and volleyed her way to set point No. 3, when a lucky drop from the net cord at 7-6 gave her the first set.
"I couldn't believe it," DAVENPORT said of set point. "That's definitely the luckiest I've ever gotten on such a big point. She hit a ball that was very low, and I actually didn't hit it high enough, and for some reason it hit the tape and went over."
"I thought the key was whoever won the first set was probably going to win the match," SANCHEZ VICARIO said of DAVENPORT's victory. "It probably would have been different if I would have won the first set, then she would know she had to win two more. But instead, she got more confidence and started playing better in the second. She went for it today and she was at her top."
And in the end, it was DAVENPORT who stood on top of the Olympic platform, as the USA's second-consecutive women's singles gold medalist.
"I love it," she said when asked how the gold medal felt. "I'm not going to take it off for a while, that's for sure."
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Melissa Horton.
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| An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games. |