Canada may soon add another medal to their 2024 Olympic tally, this time in mixed doubles tennis.
After beating Casper Ruud in three sets in Thursday afternoon’s quarterfinal, Félix Auger-Aliassime rejoined mixed doubles partner Gaby Dabrowski to play the Czechia’s Tomas Machac and Katerina Siniakova just hours later.
While the Canadians lost the hard-fought battle in two sets (6-3) (6-3), they’ve made it far enough to secure a spot in the bronze medal match.
As for the Czech pair, they will take on China in the final on Friday after Canada faces off against Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands in the battle for bronze.
Canada’s looking to add its first Olympic podium appearance in nearly three decades. The country’s sole Olympic tennis medal was won by Sébastien Lareau and Daniel Nestor, who won the men’s doubles event at the 2000 Sydney Games, defeating the heavily favoured Australian team.
And while he’ll be playing for doubles bronze, Auger-Aliassime will also face No. 2 seed Carlos Alacaraz in the men’s singles semifinal on Friday.
In the meantime, let’s hope he gets some well-deserved rest.
Canada now has eight medals at the ongoing Summer Games in Paris. That puts them in ninth place among all nations.