New Zealand’s involvement in the Olympic tennis ended when Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun lost their first-round doubles match.
Routliffe and Sun were unfortunate to strike a crack Italian team, Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani. Paolini is fresh off reaching the Wimbledon singles final and Errani is a former world No 1 doubles player, so the Italians, seeded third, posed quite a problem for the scratch New Zealand team. Furthermore, the Italians were coming off making the final of the French Open doubles last month.
The Italians won 6-2, 6-3 in 71 minutes, making fewer errors and winning most of the important points.
Routliffe, currently ranked No 1 in the world in doubles, played some sharp reflex volleys, but the New Zealanders lacked consistency.
"We gave it everything," said Routliffe. "But they are an established team and know what they're doing on the crunch points. We were figuring it out as we went along. They are really good in crucial moments and they're excellent at making their opponents feel uncomfortable out there.
"It didn't go how we wanted, but you have to acknowledge what a good doubles team they are."
The New Zealanders were delighted to be able to play their match on the Centre Court at Roland Garros, one of the great courts in world tennis. The occasion was made even more special because they followed the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal match on that court.