The tennis world erupted with delight on Tuesday after it was announced that World No.1s Ashleigh Barty and Novak Djokovic will play in the mixed doubles event at the Tokyo Olympics.
Barty and Djokovic were both listed in the 16-team draw on Tuesday, with the Aussie teaming up with John Peers and Djokovic with Nina Stojanovic.
It means Djokovic now has the chance to win gold in singles and mixed doubles, while Barty’s chances of a medal also increased with the Aussie star still alive in the women’s doubles.
Djokovic, who is chasing a rare ‘Golden Slam’ (all four majors and Olympic gold in the same year) is through to the third round in singles.
He and Stojanovic will face Brazilian pair Marcelo Melo and Luisa Stefano in the first round.
Barty, beaten in her opening singles match by Sara Sorribes Tormo, wll team with Peers and take on Argentine duo Nadia Podoroska and Horacio Zeballos.
Barty is also playing in the women’s doubles, where she and Storm Sanders have reached the quarter-finals as the sixth seeds.
Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari take the second seeding in the mixed doubles, with Iga Swiatek representing Poland alongside Lukasz Kubot.
Fans were in a frenzy over the prospect of seeing Djokovic and Barty in the mixed.
▪︎Australia’s tennis medal hopes down to doubles
Australia’s Olympic tennis medal hopes rest solely on the doubles after James Duckworth was the last to be eliminated from singles on Tuesday.
Heavy rain meant Duckworth was made to wait to begin his second-round match against Russian heavyweight Karen Khachanov.
He pushed the favourite early before bowing out in a 7-5 6-1 loss in 88 minutes.
But Australia’s medal hopes are still alive and kicking, with Barty and Peers in the mixed, Barty and Sanders in the women’s doubles, as well as Sam Stosur and Ellen Perez in the doubles.
Barty and long-time friend Sanders have made the final eight teams, as have five-time Olympian Stosur and her partner Perez.
Because the Aussie teams are on opposite ends of the draw, they won’t have to meet until the final (if they make it).
On Monday, Barty admitted her disappointment at being kicked out of the singles, but was eyeing off a medal in the doubles.
“Of course yesterday was disappointing,” Barty said.
“I’m not going to hide behind the fact that I wanted to do really well here, but we move on pretty quickly in tennis.
“I’ve really enjoyed getting out there with Storm today and we’re still on the hunt for a medal for Australia.”
(Yahoo Sport with reports by agencies)
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