In a rematch of their recent Wimbledon doubles final, the Williams sisters again defeated Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka to become the first tennis players in history to win four Olympic gold medals – they have won three doubles gold medals and each of them has won the singles gold (Venus in Sydney in 2000 and Serena just yesterday in London).

The unseeded Williamses held 34 of 36 service games in beating three seeded teams, among others, en route to the final in which they confidently defeated seeds No.4 Hlavackova and Hradecka 6-4 6-4. Read more »

Even Maria Sharapova, who completed a Career Grand Slam in spring by winning the French Open, was not close to stopping Serena Williams, who dropped only 17 games en route to the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Our contributor Omair is bringing us his view of the match.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, a dream final any tennis fan would have wished for. The only two active players with Career Slams, but neither with an Olympic gold medal before today’s match. Both players knew that one of them would walk off the court smiling and completing the Career Golden Slam.

Serena entered the match as a favorite, having not lost to the Russian since 2004, and having beaten world No.1 Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals at the loss of only three games. Sharapova was clearly the underdog, but no one had expected the gold medal match to end up the way it did, Sharapova winning just one game in the entire match and losing 6-0 6-1. Read more »

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams both advanced to the final of the 2012 London Olympics with straight-set victories and are both looking for an upgrade of an already awe-inspiring Career Grand Slam to a Career Golden Grand Slam. Only Steffi Graf has completed a Career Golden Grand Slam so far, winning the gold medal in Seoul in 1988.

Playing her first Olympics, Sharapova was the first to advance to the final, beating compatriot Maria Kirilenko 6-2 6-3. Sharapova hit 35 winners to Kirilenko's 7 and won four games in a row to finish the match after Kirilenko broke for a 3-2 lead in the second set. Read more »

Our contributing blogger Omair dug into the world of Olympic stats and brought us the previews of the semifinals. Let's see the numbers behind the 2012 Olympic performances of our semifinalists for an insight into who has a greater chance to win. First up on the menu: Victoria Azarenka vs. Serena Williams.

Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams will meet for the 10th time in their careers, most recent meeting coming on the very same lawns of Wimbledon just a few weeks ago, at the same stage of the tournament (in that match, Serena hit 24 aces, thus winning an entire set only with aces!). It was Serena who walked off victorious. Will it be different this time?

Azarenka fought hard to fend off the Angelique Kerber challenge in the quarterfinals, 6-4 7-5. Serena joined Azarenka shortly afterwards, thumping Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, 6-0 6-3. This will be a rematch of their Wimbledon semifinal, where Azarenka put up a brave show, but lost in straight sets.

Williams has yet to lose a set in the 2012 London Olympics, while Azarenka has already lost a set in her first-round victory.

Let's have a look at Azarenka's and Serena's performance so far in the tournament.

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The Olympic Games are just around the corner and all the tennis players who have qualified are excited about joining the biggest sporting event in the world, while those left behind are dreaming about being able to play the next time. Now I'd like to ask you: Do you think the Olympic Tennis Event is at par with Grand Slams or do you see the gold medal as less important than a Grand Slam trophy?

Here's what WTA players are saying:

It’s getting closer and closer. I’m getting little butterflies in my stomach. As a tennis player, you get to play Grand Slams what seems every other week. You don’t think about the Olympics. It’s an added bonus. – SERENA WILLIAMS, 2000 and 2008 gold medalist with sister Venus in the women’s doubles

The Olympics is one of my biggest goals. Growing up, the Olympics was a huge part of our culture, so I can’t wait to be an Olympian. – MARIA SHARAPOVA, Russia's first female flag-bearer Read more »