Mattek-Sands and Sock deny Venus Williams' chance for Olympic history

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, of the United States, and partner Jack Sock, right, hold their hand to their heart during the national anthem after winning their mixed doubles gold medal. (AP)

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Venus Williams’ quest for a record fifth gold medal in Olympic tennis fell short Sunday.
Competing in the mixed doubles final, Williams and Rajeev Ram fell to fellow Americans Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in three sets. After splitting the first two sets 6-7 (3), 6-1, the match was decided in a tiebreaker that featured a series of runs.
Sock and Mattek-Sands won the first three points before Williams and Ram rattled off six straight to take a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker (instead of a full third set, mixed doubles have a tiebreaker where the first to 10 points with a two-point margin wins). Sock and Mattek-Sands responded in a big way, winning the next six points to reclaim a 9-6 lead. Williams and Ram took the next point, but Sock and Mattek-Sands finished things off, 10-7, to seal the gold.

The victory marked the second medal of the Rio Games for Sock. He also took home bronze in the men’s doubles alongside Steve Johnson on Friday night.
Even without winning gold, Williams still made a bit of history Sunday. She is now tied with Britain’s Kathleen McKane with five medals in tennis. McKane won five medals in the 1920s. Williams has three golds in doubles with her sister Serena and also won gold in singles in 2000.
Venus and Serena are tied at four gold medals apiece. Serena won gold in singles at the 2012 Games in London.
This year in singles, Serena lost in the third round while Venus fell in the first. The Williams sisters also competed in doubles, but were surprisingly upset in the first round by Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic.