Tiafoe notches first Olympic wins at Tokyo 2020

Team USA notched five victories in the opening round of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, led by France Tiafoe's singles and doubles success. One of nine first-time Olympians on the traveling squad, the 23-year-old from Maryland defeated South Korea's Soonwoo Kwon in straight sets and teamed up with 2016 mixed doubles silver medalist Rajeev Ram to advance in men's doubles.

Tiafoe was a straightforward winner in singles, 6-3, 6-2, but he and Ram were pushed to the brink by Russia's Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov, with that contest decided in a match tiebreak, 3-6, 7-5, [10-2].

Making the most of his Olympic experience, Tiafoe was also able to meet and snap a photo with Megan Rapinoe (USA Soccer) and Sue Bird (USA Basketball) in Tokyo.

“That kind of atmosphere is great," he said. "We are on the same page, being an Olympian, and that's respect in itself. I'm happy with what I've been able to do and to be an Olympian and see these other guys and be around greatness... I love greatness and everything that rubs off on you.”

Marcos Giron joined his teammate in making a winning Olympic debut, as he got past Slovakia's Norbert Gombos, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, battling the Tokyo heat to run away with the deciding set.

"It's amazing," the former UCLA star said of his first Olympic win. "To represent the country is incredibly special, and it really is a truly special win for me."

The men's doubles duo of Tennys Sandgren and Austin Krajicek—both first-time Olympians—also advanced, edging Australia's John Peers and Max Purcell, 3-6, 7-6, [10-5]. For Sandgren, the victory was a measure of redemption after he was turned back by No. 6 seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the opening round of singles play.

On the women's side, the doubles duo of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jessica Pegula blitzed through Poland's Magda Linette and Alicja Rosolska, 6-1, 6-3. With the help of Rio mixed doubles gold medalist Mattek-Sands, Pegula bounced back from an earlier singles loss (vs. Belinda Bencic of Switzerland) to score her first Olympic victory. The pair is now through to the last 16 as Mattek-Sands looks to repeat her magic from 2016, when she won gold with Jack Sock.

“Five years ago is a long time. And if I think back to everything that's transpired in between then and now, it feels like a lifetime ago," she said. "Honestly, I have to watch videos of myself to really, really remember it.

"It's a new Olympics. Tokyo so far has been great. With Team USA, we feel like we go in and out of the fight as a unit, like we are a squad. So that's always fun. We've been having a great time."

All five of the American players or pairings still standing will play on Tuesday in Tokyo, though the threat of a typhoon may impact the schedule. Both men's singles matches will be played on the stadium court, which has a retractable roof. Tiafoe is set to open the day's play against No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, who he beat in straight sets one month ago at Wimbledon.

“I'm pumped up. I know he wants me, and I want him," Tiafoe said of the matchup.  "It was definitely a great match against him at Wimbledon and I played great. Different circumstances here at the Olympics, obviously. He wants to do well. He wants a rematch on the hard courts, so I have to approach it differently."

In the evening, Giron will close out the stadium slate with his second-round match against Kei Nishikori, who's playing in his native Japan.

“I think it’s going to be awesome,” Giron said of the matchup against the former world No. 4 and 2014 US Open finalist. The two have never met at the ATP level, though Giron said they have practiced together. “He’s a great player, and to play him in his home country when they’re hosting the Olympics is incredible.”

In men's doubles action, Ram and Tiafoe will face Croatia's Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig, while Krajicek and Sandgren battle Slovakia's Lukas Klein and Filip Polasek. On the women's side, it'll be Mattek-Sands and Pegula against France's Fiona Ferro and Alize Cornet. With the doubles draws already down to the last 16, Tuesday's winners will advance to the quarterfinals as the podium places come into view.

For more from Tokyo, including full results and schedule, visit the official Olympic tennis homepage.